TEHRAN, May 6 (Xinhuanet) -- A top Iranian nuclear negotiator has blamed "external factors" for its prolonged nuclear talks with Europe, the official IRNA news agency reported Friday.

    "The negotiations have become prolonged because of external factors which can not be controlled," Sirous Nasseri, head of Iran's nuclear negotiating team, was quoted as saying on Thursday.

    "Even though the final solution is close to us, it is not clear whether it will be available to Iran and the European trio (of Britain, France and Germany) six months later," Nasseri said.

    Iran and the European Union (EU) have been engaged in nuclear talks since last December after Iran suspended uranium enrichment.

    The EU demands Tehran completely and permanently halt enrichment in return for economic and technical incentives, which was rejected by Tehran.

    Iran, claiming its enrichment for peaceful use, insists it own the right for nuclear technology.

    Dismissing the EU's proposal of delaying the talks until Iran's presidential elections in June, Nasseri said the EU's waiting for results of the presidential polls "had no justification for Iran."

    "We have clearly and resolutely told them that the issue of Iran's nuclear energy program is not something which will concern only the current or the next administration of the country and will rather concern all of the Iranian nation," Nasseri said.

    However, the negotiator hailed Europe's role in the nuclear issue, saying the Europeans were currently acting as "a barrier that prevents a serious tension between Iran and the United States over Iran's nuclear program."

    "The Europeans try to clam the situation so that they can arrive at an acceptable compromise with Iran over the issue. From our point of view, that agreement is now on the table," said Nasseri.

    The United States accuses Iran of developing nuclear weapons covertly, a charge denied by Tehran. Enditem