However, he said that Iran still has "inalienable right" for peaceful uses of nuclear energy, including "nuclear fuel cycle and research and development."

The Iranian ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Ali Asgar Soltanieh attends a board meeting at the IAEA headquarters in Vienna Feb, 2, 2006.

    Malaysian ambassador to the IAEA Rajmah Hussain, who spoke on behalf of the NAM, said that it is "premature" for the Board to make a decision on Iran as ElBaradei is still "investigating outstanding issues" of Iran for the March Board meeting.

    "NAM strongly believes that diplomacy and dialogue through peaceful means must continue to find a long-term solution to the problem," he said.

    The ambassador called on all parties to "exercise patience and restraint", and not to "resort to any action which may escalate into a tense situation and create unnecessary confrontation."

    Due to sharp difference among the 35-member Board of Governors, the extraordinary meeting, which was originally arranged only one day, was extended to at least another day.

    Vienna-based diplomat told Xinhua that the meeting would adjourn on Friday morning for various parties to conduct more consultations, and the meeting is expected to re-started at 15:00 pm local time (14:00 GMT).

    According to the IAEA rules, merely a simple majority is needed when adopting a resolution at the Board of Governors.

    However, diplomats said the EU-3 want a unanimous adoption of its draft resolution or at least an overwhelming majority, in a bid to push more pressure on Iran. Enditem

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