Summary Iran agreed with the UN nuclear watchdog on a roadmap to inspect its disputed programme.
TEHRAN (AFP) - Iran on Monday agreed with the UN nuclear watchdog on a "roadmap for cooperation" to inspect its disputed programme, as the United States questioned Tehran s self-declared right to uranium enrichment.
Diplomats insist world powers are close to reaching a landmark interim deal to curb Iran s nuclear programme in return for sanctions relief despite failing to do so in Geneva over the weekend.
But US Secretary of State John Kerry, during a visit to Abu Dhabi partly aimed at reassuring Gulf allies fearful of a breakthrough with Tehran, said no nation has an "existing right to enrich" and that Iran had balked at the Geneva talks.
"The P5+1 was unified on Saturday when we presented our proposal to the Iranians... But Iran couldn t take it," said Kerry, who took part in the high-level talks.
Iran s President Hassan Rouhani, a reputed moderate whose election this year raised hopes of progress in the decade-long talks, has said Tehran will not abandon its nuclear rights, calling uranium enrichment on Iranian soil a "red line".
But in an interview with the BBC, Kerry said " right is the wrong word.
"There is a standard by which they might be able to do something, providing they meet certain standards in order to do it. And that s what you negotiate about," he said.
The so-called P5+1 group -- Britain, France, the United States, Russia and China plus Germany -- and Iran will reconvene again in Geneva on November 20 to try to iron out differences.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) meanwhile reached an accord with Iran on a "roadmap for cooperation" during a visit to Tehran by the head of the UN watchdog, Yukiya Amano.
Amano hailed the deal as "an important step" but said "much more must be done," in remarks carried by the ISNA news agency.
The IAEA chief s visit was aimed at resolving technical issues linked to the body s role in monitoring Iran s nuclear activities.
Broader questions of how to ensure Iran s nuclear programme is not being used to mask a drive for atomic weapons are being discussed in the negotiations with the P5+1.
