The European Union (EU) said on Friday in Salzburg that it would continue diplomatic efforts to solve the Iran nuclear disputes as the UN Security Council is due to debate the ever-escalating issue next week.

"We are working still with diplomatic solutions," said Austrian Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik, who is chairing a two-day informal meeting of EU foreign ministers in Salzburg starting from Friday.

"Iran has right to make peaceful use of nuclear technology, that's no doubt of that," said Plassnik, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency.

However, the minister also noted that the United Nations' nuclear watchdog IAEA, after three years of intensive verification, is still not in a position to conclude whether there are undeclared nuclear materials or activities in Iran.

"Lost confidence needs to be restored urgently. The international community is determined on this issue," said the Austrian minister.

Javier Solana, EU's High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, also emphasized that Iran has the right to develop nuclear energy.

"But we should have guarantees that the nuclear program would be strictly limited to peaceful use. But we still don't have the guarantees given by Iran, that's why the situation is where we get today," said Solana.

Over the past three year, the EU, represented by France, Germany and Britain, has been trying to persuade Iran to suspend its uranium enrichment program. The latest talk was held only three days before this week's IAEA meeting but failed to strike any agreement.

The International Atomic Energy Agency's Board of Governors on Wednesday debated the Iran dossier but made no decision. Pushed by the United States, the UN's Security Council is expected to discuss the issue next week.

Source: Xinhua