Responding to the report from Mohammed El-Baradei (the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Authority) on developments in Iran's nuclear programme, the Foreign Secretary said:

'We are studying the latest IAEA report, which confirms that Iran has failed to comply with the mandatory requirement in Security Council Resolution 1696 to resume the suspension of all enrichment-related and reprocessing activities. The report also suggests a lack of full co-operation with the IAEA.

'We will be consulting our international partners on next steps, which will require further action by the Security Council, as envisaged in Resolution 1696. I expect there to be an early meeting of E3 plus 3 officials to discuss how to proceed.

'Our goal remains a negotiated solution on the basis of the E3 plus 3's far reaching proposals of June. Javier Solana remains in contact with Ali Larijani about the Iranian reply to our proposals.

'I regret that Iran has not taken the steps required by the Security Council. I urge Iran once again to do so, which would allow negotiations to resume.'