The UN nuclear agency expects a letter from Iran as early as today announcing it will resume nuclear fuel work, a Western diplomat said.
If Tehran resumes enrichment-related work, it will probably push the agency's key member states to refer Iran's case to the UN Security Council for possible sanctions, diplomats said.
"The IAEA expects to get a letter from Iran, probably today, officially announcing the resumption of some suspended activities," a Western diplomat close to the International Atomic Energy Agency said.
This would effectively end negotiations between Iran and European Union powers France, Britain and Germany; these talks have tried to persuade Iran to abandon its uranium-enrichment programme in exchange for economic and political incentives, EU diplomats said.
The foreign ministers of the three EU powers warned Iran yesterday they would walk away from two years of talks if Tehran made good on its threats to resume nuclear work in coming days.