U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said here Thursday that Washington was willing to have nuclear talks with Iran if it observed related UN resolutions and suspended enrichment activities.

"I think it's time for Iran to change its tactics," Rice told a press conference, saying if it did so, "then we are prepared to ... sit with Iran and talk about whatever Iran would like to talk about."

Rice was in the Austrian capital attending an international conference on women's role in promoting the Mideast peace process.

The U.S. top diplomat said the international community has reached a consensus that Iran should stop uranium enrichment and demonstrate that it is not seeking to make nuclear weapons.

In order to avoid being further isolated, the Islamic republic had to change its course now, she added.

Rice's remarks came as EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana was to meet with Iran's top nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani in Madrid, Spain, later Thursday, in a bid to persuade Tehran to back off from enrichment.

Before his departure for Madrid, Larijani reiterated that Iran would not suspend uranium enrichment.

Washington accuses Iran of developing nuclear weapons under the cover of a civilian program, a charge repeatedly denied by Tehran.

Source: Xinhua