Iran said today a visit by the UN's nuclear inspection agency this week showed Tehran's desire to cooperate over its nuclear programme, which Washington says may be a covert bid to build atomic weapons.
International Atomic Energy Agency head Dr Mohamed ElBaradei is due on Wednesday and will push for greater openness on Iran's nuclear plans, including more intrusive checks of facilities.
"Our invitation to ElBaradei to visit Iran is a sign of our serious desire for cooperation with the IAEA," government spokesman Mr Abdollah Ramazanzadeh told a news conference. Dr ElBaradei reiterated on Saturday that Iran should agree to tougher inspections of its facilities to create confidence in its peaceful intentions.
Tehran says its nuclear programme is intended to provide electricity for some of its 65 million people and says it will agree to tougher inspections only if restrictions on its access to nuclear technology are lifted.
"The road for confidence building is a two-way street," Mr Ramazanzadeh said.
While government officials say Iran has a positive attitude to signing an Additional Protocol to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty - which would allow tighter nuclear inspections - many in Iran argue that doing so would pave the way for renewed US pressure.