Iran on Sunday urged the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to stay away from political influences so as to end its nuclear case as soon as possible.

"We urged the agency and its chief to stay away from political influences and remain fixed on its professional norms and responsibilities," Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid-Reza Asefi told reporters.

He said Iran had been cooperating actively and effectively with the IAEA to clear itself on the motivation of nuclear activities and will continue such cooperation, stressing that Iran's case should have been closed earlier.

The agency has been inspecting and investigating Iran's nuclear program since 2003 due to the US accusation that Tehran was developing nuclear weapons under the disguise of civil utilization.

As to the stalled nuclear talks with the European Union (EU), the spokesman said Iran will invite new members to participate in and resume the talks in the near future, adding that Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki will pay a visit to China and several delegations will be sent to Latin America, Asia, Arab and European countries for the purpose.

Asefi warned that threats will bear no fruit, referring to the EU's attempt to submit Iran's case to the UN Security Council.

The Iranian nuclear issue has been deadlocked since Iran resumed its nuclear conversion activities, a preparatory step toward uranium enrichment, in early August in defiance of a EU warning.

As a result, Britain, France and Germany, the EU trio negotiating with Iran on behalf of the union, backed by the United States, threatened to resort to harsh measures to deal with Iran's nuclear program.

On Sept. 22, the IAEA adopted a EU-drafted resolution, urging Tehran to suspend enrichment-related activities before November and warning that its case will be referred to the UN Security Council.

Iran has repeatedly stated that it will never re-suspend uranium conversion activities but expressed willingness at the same time to resume negotiations with the EU.

Source: Xinhua