Brussels, 27/01/2005 (Agence Europe) - According to diplomatic sources at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, which in the name of the European Union have been negotiating with Iran with the aim of obtaining a definitive suspension of its uranium enrichment programme, will be taking a harder line towards Tehran. According to confidential reports quoted by AFP, the EU, which until now had been requesting Tehran to simply suspend its enrichment activities, called on Iran during its meeting of the two parties on 17 January in Geneva to dismantle its installations as an “an objective guarantee” of its “nuclear programme being used for peaceful purposes”. The Irna agency quoted an Iranian diplomat at the IAEA as having refuted reports by certain western media that negotiations were in an impasse. He indicated that these affirmations were unfounded and that the two parties had reached an agreement on a number of points during the meeting of 17 January. He also said that the negotiations would continue in a positive atmosphere in a few weeks time in a European capital, probably Geneva. Hamid Reza Assefi, the spokesperson for the Iranian ministry of foreign affairs deplored the publication of such articles which he said aimed to cast a shadow over constructive negotiations and demonstrated the discontent of those who are unhappy with the current process and who are trying to undermine its success. He said that “negotiations are at a preliminary stage and we will assess the results in three months time”. Following the statement by British foreign minister Jack Straw, who at his meeting with the US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, obtained a clarification of Washington's position and its “support” for a diplomatic approach in the Iranian affair (EUROPE 26 January p 6), Tony Blair declared to the House of Commons that he was not aware of any US military project in Iran. He said that in Europe they were working together with Washington to get international obligations respected and that they would do all they could to send the right message to Iran.