Blix, who has also been the UN's chief weapons inspector in Iraq, said North Korea had obtained more concessions than Iran from Europe.

"I am not convinced that the EU has offered sufficiently interesting things to the Iranians," Blix told AFP on the sidelines of a seminar on nuclear policy in Stockholm.

Iran had been told that it "could expect World Trade Organization membership, access to spare parts for Boeings, and a fuel supply guarantee", Blix said.

"But when you compare these things that have been offered to Iran with what has been offered to North Korea, I am not sure that one is at the negotiations' end," Blix said.

Negotiations between EU diplomats and Iran were halted in August but are due to resume soon.

The EU is hoping to obtain a promise from Tehran that it will not develop nuclear bombs under the mantle of its civil nuclear energy programme.

Britain, France and Germany, backed by the United States, have argued that a watertight agreement would require Iran foregoing any capacity to enrich uranium.

Blix said the EU could do more to soften the Iranian position, including security guarantees.

"I think so, but I think that they are also restrained by the backseat driver whom they have in the car, the Americans," he said.

Either way, a military solution to the Iranian deadlock was not an option, despite perceived threats from the United States and Israel, Blix said.

"I cannot imagine that anyone would like to launch cruise missiles or other missiles against Iran," he said.

Blix, a retired Swedish diplomat, headed the IAEA from 1981 to 1997 before he became the chief UN weapons inspector in the run-up to the war in Iraq.

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