( RIA Novosti ) - Iranian officials and experts from the UN nuclear watchdog have completed a round of talks on Tehran's controversial nuclear program, Iran's IRNA news agency said.
The talks between Iran and a delegation from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), headed by Deputy Director General Olli Heinonen, focused on gas centrifuges, used to enrich uranium.
Iran currently uses 'P-1' centrifuges that are prone to breakdown when working at high speed for long periods. The country is engaged in research work on an advanced 'P-2' model, which is more reliable and can enrich uranium to weapons-grade levels.
"We have provided the IAEA with all necessary information and explanations regarding P-1 and P-2 centrifuges," IRNA quoted Iran's deputy chief nuclear negotiator Javad Vaeedi as saying.
Iran has around 3,000 functional enrichment centrifuges at the Natanz nuclear research center. The country's leaders previously said that they intended to install 50,000 centrifuges at Natanz to make the country independent of nuclear fuel imports.
Iran has been subjected to two rounds of UN Security Council sanctions over its refusal to halt uranium enrichment.
In mid-September, the six countries involved in talks on the issue delayed a vote on a new set of sanctions against the Islamic Republic, now set to be held in late November. The vote was postponed pending reports from the IAEA, and European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana.
Deputy foreign ministers from the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany are meeting in London on Friday to try to coordinate strategy on Iran's nuclear activities.
The U.S., Britain and France have been seeking additional sanctions against Iran, which they suspect of pursuing a clandestine weapons program. Iran says it needs the program for electricity generation. Russia has urged against harsh sanctions, ruled out military action, and called for more diplomacy.