IAEA Chief Backs Diplomatic Path on Iran Nuclear Issue After Ankara Talks

IAEA Director-General Mohamed El Baradei met with Türkiye's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Ankara on Thursday, with the two officials agreeing that diplomacy remains the preferred route for resolving concerns over Iran's nuclear activities.

Speaking to journalists after the meeting, El Baradei called on Iran to respond quickly to the incentives package put forward by the five permanent UN Security Council members and Germany, saying the international community was growing impatient for an answer.

El Baradei argued that a negotiated outcome would benefit all parties: Iran could secure its right to civilian nuclear energy, and a new crisis in the Middle East could be avoided. "The Middle East cannot stand another crisis," he said.

The IAEA chief stressed the urgency of establishing political conditions for talks to begin, saying no effort would be spared in pursuing a swift resolution to the Iranian nuclear question.

Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this wire report, first published in July 2006, in its own words.