"We are going to have lengthy discussions today," Salehi

TEHRAN, October 19 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) – As Iranian and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) officials resumed negotiations in Tehran Sunday, October 19, an Iranian foreign ministry spokesman announced that the Islamic republic has invited the foreign ministers of Britain, France and Germany to the country to follow up on their initiative to settle a dispute over Tehran’s nuclear program.

Hamid Reza Asefi said Iran had been negotiating with the European Union's big three (Britain, Germany and France) after they sent a letter offering technical assistance in return for Tehran's cooperation with the IAEA, reported Agence France-Presse (AFP).

"Since the Foreign Ministers of Germany, Britain and France have sent us a letter showing their inclination to cooperate with us, we have decided on a constructive dialogue," he said, adding that talks have been going on "for several days".

"It is possible in the coming days that this will reach a higher level - so we have invited to Iran the three Foreign Ministers to give their points of view," Asefi confirmed.

On Friday, October 17, an Iranian government source said Jack Straw, Dominique de Villepin and Joschka Fisher could visit Tehran as early as next week in an unprecedented joint visit aimed at capping a behind-the-scenes bid to resolve the crisis over Iran's nuclear program.

According to diplomatic sources, Germany, France and Britain have been secretly negotiating a deal with Iran's leaders.

The EU states are insisting Iran accept strict controls on its nuclear activities by signing and implementing the additional protocol to the NPT.

According to a Western diplomatic source, if Tehran accepts all the IAEA's demands, Germany, France and Britain "may favorably consider the possibility of supplying (Iran) with technology, even nuclear technology, as well as nuclear fuel."

The source, quoted by AFP, said senior representatives of the three countries had visited Tehran in recent days to "resolve this crisis peacefully".

"Optimistic"

Commenting on the talks with the U.N. watchdog regarding its demands for a tougher inspections regime on the Islamic republic's nuclear activities, Iran's IAEA representative Ali Akbar Salehi told AFP: "We are going to have lengthy discussions today".

He sounded "optimistic" over the outcome of the talks, which kicked off Saturday, but gave no indication of their progress.

The IAEA has pressed Iran to sign an additional protocol to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

If Iran joins the 80 other NPT signatories that have signed the extra clause, its nuclear sites would be liable to snap inspections by the IAEA.

Implementation of the protocol, even before its formal signature, is one of a series of demands the U.N. nuclear watchdog made last month amid accusations Iran was allegedly concealing nuclear weapons development behind its civil energy program.

Iran denies that it is developing nuclear weapons, but the IAEA – under pressure from Washington - has given it until October 31 to prove it is not.

Failure to comply could see the matter turned over to the U.N. Security Council and Tehran saddled with possible U.N. sanctions.

The Islamic republic, just two weeks away from the IAEA deadline, said Thursday it may bow to demands for tougher U.N. inspections.

During a lightning visit to Tehran Thursday by IAEA director general Mohamed ElBaradei, Iran also promised to accelerate cooperation with the U.N. nuclear watchdog.

However the IAEA chief added that Iran had still not agreed to stop enriching uranium - one of the agency's key demands.

While denying developing nuclear weapons, Iran has maintained that it is being treated unfairly given that NPT signatories are obliged to provide mutual help with civil nuclear technology.

The Islamic republic is subject to harsh U.S. sanctions, and only Russia is helping it build its first nuclear power station.

Washington accuses Iran of trying to develop nuclear arms and has branded it part of an "axis of evil", along with Saddam Hussein's Iraq which it claims held weapons of mass destruction, and North Korea, which has said it is developing atomic bombs.

Washington has attacked and invaded Iraq, yet, failed so far to find weapons of mass destruction.