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The following is a statement attributable to the Spokesman of the Secretary-General:

"The Secretary-General welcomes the declaration agreed in Tehran today by the Iranian Government and visiting EU Foreign Ministers regarding the nuclear program of the Islamic Republic of Iran. He encourages the Iranian authorities to further cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to resolve all outstanding issues with the Agency.

"The Secretary-General appreciates the efforts of the Government of Iran and the Foreign Ministers of France, Germany and the United Kingdom in working towards resolving outstanding issues regarding Iran's nuclear programme."

**Iran

Last week, during a visit to Tehran, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Mohamed ElBaradei received assurances that Iran would provide the IAEA with a full disclosure of all its past nuclear activities, and the Iranian Government also expressed its readiness to conclude an Additional Protocol.

The Agency said that today's news from Tehran is an encouraging sign toward clarifying all aspects of Iran's past nuclear programme and regulating its future activities through verification.

ElBaradei hopes and expects that, in the next few days, Iran will deliver to the IAEA a complete declaration of all its past nuclear activities and an official notification of its readiness to conclude an Additional Protocol.

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