"Things are moving in the right direction," said ElBaradei, noting that Iran was cooperating with United Nations nuclear inspectors and several "third parties" were urging Tehran to return to the negotiating table.

ElBaradei, who led the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to receive this year's Nobel Peace Prize, said that South Africa had notably suggested a compromise to end the standoff between Iran and Western powers over its nuclear program.

Negotiations between Iran and the so-called EU-3 -- Britain, France and Germany -- broke off in August after Tehran rejected the European proposals on cooperation and trade and instead resumed its uranium enrichment activities.

Enriched uranium is used to produce nuclear energy but also to make weapons. Iran says its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes but the United States claims the Iranians are secretly seeking to develop a nuclear arsenal.

The Europeans want to find a solution that will allow Iran to have a civil nuclear program while also allaying any fears about weapons development.

On Sunday, Tehran said it was ready to resume meetings with negotiators but it also refused to suspend again its nuclear activities, which is one of the conditions set by the Europeans.

The IAEA board has until November 24 to decide whether to refer Iran and its nuclear activity to the UN Security Council which could impose sanctions on the Islamic republic.

All rights reserved. © 2005 Agence France-Presse. Sections of the information displayed on this page (dispatches, photographs, logos) are protected by intellectual property rights owned by Agence France-Presse. As a consequence, you may not copy, reproduce, modify, transmit, publish, display or in any way commercially exploit any of the content of this section without the prior written consent of Agence France-Presse.