Iran to invite EU, US to visit nuclear sites

TEHRAN - Iran said Tuesday that it planned to invite the European Union (EU) and the US to inspect its nuclear sites this month.

Tehran would invite representatives from the six countries engaged in nuclear talks with it - Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and its political archfoe the US - as well as the EU and the Non-Aligned Movement to visit the sites, Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said.

He called the move a sign of goodwill that would act as proof that Iran is conducting its nuclear work transparently.

The international talks on its nuclear programme are being conducted amid fears that it is using the programme to build weapons, but Iran has denied the charges, saying its nuclear work is for peaceful purposes only.

The visits are to take place before the next round of nuclear talks, scheduled to be held in Istanbul at the end of January, Mehmanparast said.