UN nuclear chief to visit Iran

The head of the UN nuclear watchdog, Mohamed ElBaradei, is expected in Iran to discuss inspectors' access to a recently revealed uranium facility.Iran announced the existence of the enrichment plant, built into a mountain near the city of Qom, late last month.US President Barack Obama has urged the country to give the UN agency "unfettered access" within two weeks.

The IAEA chief is due in Tehran on Saturday, two days after talks in Geneva between world powers and Iran.Officials said Mr ElBaradei would discuss dates and conditions for IAEA access to the site, and would meet Ali Akbar Salehi, head of the Iranian Atomic Energy Organisation.

Tehran insists it has the right to develop nuclear energy, but the revelation of the second enrichment facility has heightened fears among Western governments that it is trying to develop nuclear weapons.

The talks in Geneva earlier this week were the first between Iran and the six world powers - the five permanent members of the Security Council plus Germany - since July 2008.

-BBC