Salehi calls for more talks on nuclear issue

Iran's foreign minister has called for other countries to chose engagement over confrontation in resolving their differences over his nation's nuclear program. Ali Akbar Salehi told the UN.-hosted Conference on Disarmament that "nuclear energy is not equated with nuclear weapons" and Iran has no intention to develop weapons of mass destruction. Iran claims its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes. But the International Atomic Energy Agency has raised alarms that its uranium enrichment program might be a precursor to building nuclear weapons. Salehi told reporters after the meeting Tuesday that he is optimistic upcoming meeting with IAEA officials will resolve a recent impasse over the agency's monitoring programme.