Michael Adler

Iran persists in defying United Nations demands to stop enriching uranium and is expanding the work, the UN nuclear watchdog said in a report on Wednesday that could open the door to new sanctions against Tehran. "Iran has not suspended its enrichment-related activities," the International Atomic Energy Agency said.

The United States is ready for the first time to join talks with Iran over its nuclear programme, provided Russia and China agree to sanctions if Tehran refuses to limit its atomic ambitions, diplomats said on Wednesday. A Western diplomat said the US was "willing to sit at the table with the Iranians", together with the four other permanent United Nations Security Council members.

United Nations nuclear inspectors have found traces of highly enriched uranium at a site where Iran has denied such sensitive atomic work, diplomats told Agence France-Presse on Friday. The diplomats said the particles of weapon-grade uranium came from sample swipes inspectors from the Vienna-based UN nuclear watchdog made last January.