"I have been in touch with the Iranians. I hope that they will find time in their calendar to meet this week. That is my position, and that is what I transmit to them in a very clear manner," Solana said as he arrived for a meeting in Brussels of European Union foreign and defence ministers.

"We're pretty late in the month already" he added, aware that he is due to present his report on Iran's nuclear ambitions by the end of November to Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States.

Solana has said he will give his views to the leading world powers even if he manages to arrange no more meetings with the Iranians by then.

His opinion will be important in the possible adoption of fresh United Nations sanctions against Iran.

However the EU diplomat was unwilling to speculate on Iran's willingness to suspend uranium enrichment activities as demanded by the international community, which fears Tehran is working towards a nuclear arms programme.

Iran insists its nuclear activities are strictly for civilian purposes.

"They are ready to meet. It doesn't mean from that meeting will come the possibility of negotiations. At the moment we are paving the way for negotiations," said Solana.

The UN Security Council has already imposed two sets of sanctions on Iran over its failure to heed ultimatums to halt enrichment -- a key part of the nuclear fuel cycle -- and the United States is pushing for a third.

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