Iran confirms invite to view nuclear facilities

Iran confirmed today that it had invited some ambassadors accredited to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna to visit nuclear facilities in the Islamic Republic.

Those invited included representatives from some of the six major powers involved in diplomatic efforts to resolve the dispute over Iran's nuclear programme, Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast told a news conference.

He said the visit would take place before a meeting between Iran and the six powers - Russia, China, the United States, France, Germany and Britain - in Istanbul. Tehran and the c consulting powers agreed last month to meet in the Turkish city in late January.