Iran, IAEA Agree On Talks

The U.N. nuclear watchdog has reached an agreement with Iran on how to conduct negotiations over Tehran's contentious nuclear program, the delegation's chief said Thursday.

The International Atomic Energy Agency and Iran have "reached an agreement on the modality for resolving the remaining outstanding issues" regarding Tehran's nuclear program, said Olli Heinonen, the IAEA's chief of delegation, after talks with his Iranian counterpart.

He did not elaborate, and Iranian officials were not immediately available for comment.

Iran's delegation was headed by Javad Vaidi, a deputy to Iran's top nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani.

Talks between the five-person IAEA delegation and Iran began Wednesday, hours after President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad again stated that the West should not expect Tehran to suspend uranium enrichment

"Although IAEA negotiators are set to try to find middle ground with Iran on its nuclear program, the Iranian president continues to insist that an even temporary freeze on its uranium production is out of the question," said CBS News foreign affairs analyst Pamela Falk from the U.N., "and that has led the permanent members of the Security Council to continue to discuss a plan to impose further sanctions."

State-run television said the IAEA delegation was not due to inspect nuclear facilities during its two-day visit.

The talks come as IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei said earlier this week that Iran has scaled back its uranium enrichment program, suggesting there was a new willingness from the government to resolve the international deadlock over its nuclear stance.

Members of the U.N. Security Council are preparing to debate a third set of sanctions against the Islamic republic in response to Tehran's refusal to suspend uranium enrichment, which can produce fuel for civilian energy or fissile material for a bomb.