EU’s Top Diplomat To Visit Iran

The European Union’s foreign ministers on Tuesday asked chief EU diplomat Javier Solana to travel to Iran early next year in a bid to further the EU’s engagement with the Islamic republic. Although discussions are ongoing, diplomatic sources told the EUobserver that members are agreed on the need to send a "positive signal to Tehran." The move comes after November's announcement from the Iranian authorities to sign up to tougher inspections of its nuclear facilities after months of negotiation. Despite that breakthrough, EU Member states are expected to stop short of calling for the resumption of formal, political economic and trade talks, which were earlier suspended because of fears over Iran’s nuclear capabilities. (EUobserver.com)