IRAN - Oct. 21 - Aims To Allay Fears On Nuclear Programme.

Iranian officials says they believed Iran had addressed concerns about its nuclear programme and that an unprecedented joint visit to Tehran today by the FM's of Britain, France and Germany would end the dispute. However, a senior UK official says Iran had yet to meet the demands of the IAEA, and that the meeting with Pres. Mohammad Khatami was intended to increase pressure on the Islamic republic to comply with the demands of the UN watchdog by an October 31 deadline. The IAEA board has given Iran until then to agree to sign an additional protocol to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty that would allow intrusive inspections, and clarify details about its programme, which the US and its allies suspect is intended to produce nuclear weapons. The Bush administration, which refuses to talk directly to Iran, said it was in close consultation with its three European allies over the issue. On Oct. 20th night UK foreign secretary, Jack Straw, said he had spoken to US secretary of state, Colin Powell, hours before his departure for Tehran. A State Department spokesman would not speculate over what the foreign ministers would tell Iran, but insisted that Iran should comply without being offered inducements. A senior UK official said he regards the US position as "complementary" to Europe's initiative. Iran is seeking assurances that it can continue its controversial development of uranium enrichment. The European ministers are seeking ways of halting any potential military programme, in part by offering transfers of nuclear energy technology and fuel. They will also discuss the uranium enrichment programme. Iranian officials say this allows them to enrich uranium up to 20 per cent while the IAEA says enrichment above 5 per cent is inappropriate for civilian use. However, the Iranian side appears flexible on this. The IAEA wants a detailed explanation of the programme's development, which Iran insists is for civilian use only, and why particles of highly enriched uranium have been found that could be used in nuclear weapons. Straw, and Dominique de Villepin and Joschka Fischer, his French and German counterparts, are due to meet Mr Khatami on Tuesday. "When the foreign ministers of these three countries come to Iran it is a good sign that means Iran's nuclear file has been closed," says a senior Iranian official. UK officials would not be drawn on whether a detailed agreement had been reached. If Iran fails to meet the deadline, the IAEA intends to refer the matter to the UN Security Council.