Envoys to tour two key Iranian nuclear facilities

Seven international envoys are getting a look inside two key Iranian nuclear sites in a tour that Tehran hopes will build support ahead of more talks on its disputed atomic work.

In a blow to the effort, key powers Russia, China and the European Union refused the invitation. The EU said it should be up to inspectors from the UN atomic agency to verify whether Iran's program is entirely peaceful. The United States was not invited.

The US and some of its allies accuse Iran of seeking nuclear weapons, a charge Iran denies.

On the tour are envoys from Egypt, Cuba, Syria, Algeria, Venezuela, Oman and the Arab League.

They will see the unfinished heavy water reactor near Arak today and the uranium enrichment facility near Natanz later.