"We have said from the beginning that these two issues are independent from one another," Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast told AFP.

"The issue of fuel swap is an independent issue and the issue of dialogue with 5+1 is another independent issue. If the complete independence of both these issues is not respected, then it will create obstacles in follow-ups."

Mehmanparast's comments come ahead of an expected meeting between Iranian officials and representatives of the six world powers -- Britain, China, France, Russia, the United States and Germany over Tehran's controversial nuclear programme.

The world powers led by Washington suspect Iran is masking a weapons drive under the guise of a civilian nuclear programme, a charge which Tehran denies.

There has been no report so far of a separate meeting between Iran and three world powers, Russia, France and the United States and the UN atomic watchdog -- known as the Vienna group -- to discuss the nuclear fuel swap.

On October 18, Iran's atomic chief Ali Akbar Salehi had said that Tehran was "ready to hold simultaneous talks with the 5+1 and the Vienna group about the fuel swap."

He did not say when and where these simultaneous talks could be held.

The idea of swapping nuclear fuel was first discussed in October 2009 and a proposal was forwarded to Iran by the Vienna group, which it rejected.

Brazil and Turkey later brokered a modified agreement on the fuel exchange in May which was rejected by the world powers, arguing that the deal failed to take into account additional uranium enriched since last year by Tehran.

But in the past few days, the Western media has reported that the United States was preparing a set of new proposals which include a fuel swap deal.

These reports did not specify whether the US proposals would be discussed at the upcoming talks between the six powers and Iran.

A report in French daily Le Monde last week said that Washington's offer would include transferring 2,000 kilogrammes of Tehran's low-enriched uranium (LEU) to Russia for producing fuel to operate Iran's Bushehr nuclear power plant which has been built by Moscow.

The newspaper reported that the proposal also talks of transferring another 1,200 kilogrammes of Tehran's LEU to Russia and France as proposed in October 2009 to produce fuel for the Tehran Research Reactor, a facility which makes medical isotopes.

The report further said that the United States also plans to propose shifting the 30 kilogrammes of 20 percent enriched uranium that Tehran currently has out of the country.

earlier related report
Iran nuclear cooperation insufficient: IAEA chief
United Nations (AFP) Nov 8, 2010 - The head of the UN nuclear watchdog said Monday that Iran has still not given proof that its atomic program is peaceful and that he is seriously concerned about North Korea's nuclear work.

Iran again insisted to a nuclear debate at the UN General Assembly however that it is only working on civilian energy. The West has accused Iran of seeking a bomb.

International Atomic Energy Agency chief Yukiya Amano told the UN assembly: "Iran has has not provided the necessary cooperation to permit the agency to confirm that all nuclear material in Iran is in peaceful activities."

Iran must carry out "full implementation" of IAEA and UN Security Council resolutions which have imposed four rounds of sanctions over Iran's refusal to halt uranium enrichment.

However Iran hit back in the debate. "Claiming that 'Iran has not provided the necessary cooperation' is incorrect and misleading," said the Islamic Republic's deputy ambassador Eshagh al-Habib.

He called the UN Security Council sanction resolutions "illegal."

Iran is "determined to exercise the inalienable right to nuclear technology for peaceful purposes." The diplomat added though that Iran is ready to start new talks with the six international powers -- Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States -- on its nuclear drive from November 10.

"We are waiting to see the goodwill of the other parties and their real intention for meaningful and successful talks," he said.

The IAEA chief highlighted that the agency has had no inspectors in North Korea since April 2009 as he called the isolated Asian nation's nuclear program "a matter of serious concern."

Amano said there should be "concerted efforts" for new talks between North Korea and China, South Korea, Japan, Russia and the United States.

North Korea conducted one nuclear test in October 2006 and said it staged a second in May 2009, one month after it quit the six-nation talks. The last formal talks were in December 2008.

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