IAEA refuses to confirm preparations for Iran session

VIENNA, January 13 (RIA Novosti, Taras Lariokhin) - A spokesman for the UN's nuclear watchdog refused to confirm Friday media reports that London would host a meeting of ministers representing countries seeking to end a dispute over Iran's nuclear programs.

Some media reported that the meeting on January 16 would involve the foreign ministers of six countries - Germany, France, Britain, the United States, Russia and China - in preparation for a session of the International Atomic Energy Agency's 35-member Board of Governors on the Iranian nuclear program.

Concerned by Iran's resumption of nuclear research, some countries, particularly the U.S., are pushing for the Iranian "nuclear file" to be referred to the UN Security Council, which has the power to impose sanctions on the Islamic Republic if it is found to be in breach of its international commitments.

However, an IAEA spokesman deflected enquiries about next week's meeting away from the agency. "We have nothing to do with this event," the spokesman said.

Some Western media quoted "European diplomatic sources" as saying the London meeting could fix the date for the IAEA Board of Governors to again raise the issue of referring the Iranian matter to the UN Security Council.

Although Tehran insists that it wants to develop nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, a number of countries suspect it of pursuing a secret weapons program.