Solana, Larijani to meet on nuclear issue

Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani is expected to meet EU High Representative Javier Solana before Friday.

Solana's spokesperson Cristina Gallach, told IRNA in Brussels Monday evening that the meeting would probably take place on Thursday, but she did not disclose the venue of the expected meeting.

"For the moment things are moving in the right direction," added Gallach without giving any further details.

Larijani held two rounds of talks with Solana in Vienna over the weekend, which lasted for seven hours.

Iran's top nuclear negotiator said progress had been made and some ambiguities cleared and that the EU side also agreed with him on certain principles.

EU foreign ministers are to discuss ties with Iran during their formal meeting in Brussels on Friday.

Meantime, Iran's vice-president Parviz Davoodi Saturday said that no logic can justify Iran's abandonment of nuclear activities.

Addressing the inaugural session of the 53rd Meeting of the World Health Organization's Regional Committee for the Eastern Mediterranean, Davoodi said the intelligent and brave Iranian youth have gained remarkable success in finding AIDS/HIV medicine, production and multiplication of stem cells, curing cerebral defects and conducting peaceful nuclear research.

He voiced strong protest at efforts to prevent Iran from access to sophisticated scientific technology and impede the country's progress.

"If they manage to prevent the Islamic Republic from access to the technology at higher scientific level -- as other states have attained such a level of progress -- then we will not be able to reach the latest global standard of welfare, so we cannot remain silent before them," said Davoodi.