TEHRAN, Nov. 20 (Xinhuanet) -- Iran said on Sunday that the report by the UN nuclear watchdog chief on the country's nuclear dossier is positive.

   "Mohamed ElBaradei's report has just proved that Iran has kept commitment to the international nuclear regulations and safeguards, and we think it is positive," Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid-Reza Asefi told a weekly news briefing.

   The spokesman referred to a report submitted on Friday by ElBaradei, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which said the Iranian government has improved its cooperation with the agency on its nuclear issue but still needs to do more to clarify its nuclear plans.

   The report also urged Tehran to admit inspectors to some sensitive areas such as Lavizan-Shian at the edge of Tehran city which has been closed before IAEA inspectors could go there.

   As to this request, Asefi said "if the IAEA's demands comply with the international rules and can be justified, Iran will cooperate."

   However, Iran's parliament approved a bill on Sunday to require the government to block snap inspections of its nuclear facilities if the country's nuclear case is referred to the UN Security Council.

   The bill was passed with 183 yes out of a total of 197 lawmakers present.

   The bill came ahead of an IAEA meeting on Thursday to decide whether to refer Iran's nuclear dossier to the UN Security council for possible sanctions.

   The IAEA board of governors will discuss Iran's nuclear case based on ElBaradei's report.

   The bill also obliges the government to resume uranium enrichment which Tehran suspended in November 2004 to build confidence for nuclear talks with the European Union (EU).

   Iran is accused by the United States of developing nuclear weapons, a charge repeatedly denied by Tehran, which claims its nuclear programs are to generate electricity.

   Iran resumed uranium conversion activities, a preparatory step for uranium enrichment, in early August, which prompted the EU to stop its nuclear talks with Tehran.

   The IAEA adopted an EU-sponsored resolution in September, urging Tehran to re-suspend all enrichment-related activities and warning a refusal will risk a referral of its case to the UN Security Council.  Enditem