By NNN-IRNA,
Vienna : Director-general of the UN nuclear watchdog Mohamed ElBaradei has welcomed Iran-US direct talks.
ElBaradei said that the US President-elect Barack Obama’s stated readiness for dialogue with Iran without preconditions could make Tehran more forthcoming with the International Atomic Energy Agency.
“If there is a direct dialogue between the United States and Iran, I think Iran will be more forthcoming with the agency,” the IAEA chief said in Prague Wednesday.
“Political opening will also convince Iran to work with us to solve remaining technical issues,” ElBaradei told a news conference after meeting Czech Foreign Affairs Minister Karel Schwarzenberg.
“That political component of Iran issue requires in my view a direct dialogue with Iran and that’s why I am very encouraged by President-elect Obama’s statement that he is ready to engage Iran in a direct dialogue without preconditions.
“I have a lot of hope if that is a new policy,” ElBaradei added.