Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Hassan Rohani(R) meet with three European Ambassadors(L to R); German's Paul von Maltzahn, Britain's Richard Dalton and French's Francois Nicoullaud at Saadabad palace in Northern Tehran November 14, 2004. Iran pledged on Sunday to suspend its uranium enrichment program.£¨Xinhua/AFP photo)

TEHRAN, Nov. 14 (Xinhuanet) -- Iran on Sunday pledged to the UN nuclear watchdog in writing to fully suspend uranium enrichment aspart of a deal with the European Union (EU) to avoid possible UN Security Council sanctions.

    The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Sunday received an official letter from Iran confirming that Tehran has agreed to suspend uranium enrichment, an IAEA spokesman said.

    "The letter is about the suspension of enrichment," the spokesman said.

    Diplomats here said the handover took place Sunday evening at the Vienna-based IAEA headquarters. However, they did not give details of the letter, which still must be read by IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei, they said.

    "It will be reflected in a report to the (IAEA) board of governors which will be distributed tomorrow (Monday)," the IAEA spokesman said.

    The IAEA has been investigating Iran's nuclear program for morethan two years. The board of governors of the IAEA approved a resolution on Sept. 18 demanding that Tehran suspend all activities related to uranium enrichment and clarify all pending nuclear program issues before the nuclear watchdog's meeting on Nov. 25.

    

Iran's top nuclear official Hassan Rowhani talks to the press in Tehran. Iran has agreed to suspend almost all of its activities related to uranium enrichment as a result of prolonged talks with the European Union (EU).£¨Xinhua/AFP photo)

The IAEA is to include Iran's agreement on suspending enrichment in this report to its 35-nation board ahead of the Nov.25 meeting to decide whether to send Iran to the UN Security Council for possible sanctions.

    In Tehran, Iran's top nuclear official announced Sunday his country has agreed to suspend almost all of its activities relatedto uranium enrichment as a result of prolonged talks with the EU.

    "We have agreed to suspend almost all activities related to theenrichment," Hassan Rowhani, secretary of the Supreme National Security Council and chief nuclear negotiator, told reporters.

    Rowhani's announcement came after two days of sequel talks withambassadors of the EU trio, namely France, Germany and Britain.

    He said Iran had accepted the ordains of the resolution adoptedby the IAEA in September, which urges Iran to suspend uranium enrichment and fully cooperate with the inspectors to clear up allrelated issues.

    "What we have accepted in fact runs accordant with the urges ofthe September resolution of the IAEA," Rowhani said.

    The Brussels-based EU welcomed the Iranian pledge to fully suspend uranium enrichment, diplomats said late Sunday.

    A formal reaction is expected on Monday from the EU trio, they said.

    Iran has been under pressure from the international community for months to halt its uranium enrichment program which could produce materials to make nuclear weapons. Iran says it wants onlyto generate electricity. Enditem