Iran in Compliance with Nuclear Freeze

A new report by the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog has found that Iran is complying with the terms of a November interim deal calling for a partial nuclear freeze, diplomats said Thursday.

The diplomats, who had seen the monthly update by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), told AFP everything was in order.

The international community was also "keeping an eye" on progress at a plant in Tehran that will be used for the conversion of low-enriched uranium, one of the diplomats said.

Iran agreed under the November deal to freeze parts of its nuclear activities, including limiting enrichment. Enriching uranium can be part of a peaceful atomic drive but can also produce weapons-grade material for a bomb.

Tehran has consistently said its nuclear program is for civilian purposes only, while the West believes it has a military dimension.

Iran and six world powers -- the U.S., Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany -- will next meet on May 13 in a bid to draw up a lasting accord and end the decade-old standoff over Iran's nuclear program.