ElBaradei's talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi and chief of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization, Gholam-Reza Aghazadeh, would focus on the thorny issue. He is also due to meet Iranian President Mohammad Khatami later in the day.

ElBaradei's current mission to Tehran, his second visit since February this year, took place amid mounting international pressure on Iran to sign an additional protocol to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) which would allow more intensive and surprised visits to its nuclear facilities.

The United States has alleged that Iran is secretly developing a nuclear weapon program under the cover of tapping nuclear energy.

Iran denied the US allegations, insisting that its atomic energy program is transparent and aimed at peaceful use of atomic energy.

Iran's nuclear program has been under regular inspections of the IAEA inspectors. However, Iran has only agreed to accept pre-arranged visits to sites it chooses to declare.

In a June report to the IAEA board of governors, ElBaradei said Tehran had not fully respected the NPT by failing to inform IAEA of some of its nuclear activities.

Iran, on its part, blamed the UN nuclear watchdog of submitting to political pressure from the United States and applying discrimination against Iran.

Iran claimed it is willing to sign the protocol, but that could only come after lengthy talks which would bring an end to international sanctions on Iran, and IAEA should provide the latest technical know-how to Iran for its nuclear program.

Diplomatic sources said the United States is pressing IAEA to set a deadline for Iran to sign the nuclear protocol in September, otherwise, it would face a much tougher international pressure.

(Xinhua News Agency July 10, 2003)