Iran agrees to talks with powers

VIENNA, Austria – Iran, facing stiffening pressure over its nuclear program, agreed to a new round of talks with global powers this fall but also repeated on Monday its vow to fend off any attacks against its nuclear facilities.

European Union officials announced an Oct. 1 date for the new talks, which will include Iran’s top nuclear negotiator and representatives of the United States, Germany, France, Britain, Russia and China. The discussion will be the first between Iran and the six world powers in more than a year.

Iran in recent days has appeared to rule out curbs on its atomic energy program, declaring its pursuit of nuclear power to be an “inalienable right.” But U.S. and E.U. officials on Monday expressed hope that the new talks could ultimately include Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

“This is an important first step,” said Steven Chu, the U.S. energy secretary, who was attending a meeting at the Vienna headquarters of the U.N. nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency.

In Tehran, a foreign ministry spokesman appeared to dampen expectations. “Talks will focus on disarmament and international concerns, not the Iranian rights enshrined by Non-Proliferation Treaty,” said spokesman Hassan Qashqavi, referring to Iran’s claim of a legitimate right to seek peaceful nuclear power.

Qashqavi was quoted by the state-run IRNA news agency as saying the talks would include a package of proposals intended to reduce tensions.

The United States and many of its allies believe Iran intends to either build a nuclear bomb or develop the capacity to make one quickly if it chooses to. Western powers have threatened new sanctions against Iran if it fails to halt production of enriched uranium, the key ingredient in both commercial nuclear fuel and nuclear weapons.

At the Vienna IAEA meeting, the head of Iran’s nuclear energy organization said the Islamic republic had publicly “forsworn the non-peaceful uses” of nuclear technology. But Ali Akbar Salehi warned against pre-emptive strikes against the country’s nuclear facilities and railed against what he called the “arrogance” of declared nuclear powers such as the United States that would seek to prevent other countries from developing a nuclear infrastructure.