NUCLEAR WEAPONS U.N. official welcomes tentative deal with Iran

ElBaradei stressed the need for quick action to prevent terrorists from getting weapons.
SYDNEY, Australia (AP) -- The world is in a "race against time" to prevent nuclear weapons from getting into the hands of terrorists, the chief of the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog said today as he welcomed a preliminary agreement on Iran's nuclear program.
Mohamed ElBaradei said the world was not ready to deal with a nuclear or radiological attack by terrorists and must hurry to strengthen international nonproliferation measures to prevent such a possibility.
Speaking on the sidelines of an international conference on nuclear security, ElBaradei also welcomed the tentative deal struck this weekend between three European powers and Iran aimed at suspending the Islamic republic's nuclear enrichment and reprocessing programs.
He called the preliminary agreement brokered in Paris between Iran and France, Germany and Britain "a step in the right direction."
The two-day conference under way in Sydney was aimed at building cooperation to boost security at nuclear facilities in the Asia-Pacific region to prevent terrorists from getting their hands on nuclear material.
"We are in a race against time because it is something we were not prepared for," said ElBaradei, the director general of the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency. "We have to cross our fingers that nothing will happen."
Fears over Iranian program
The United States and European powers fear Iran is trying to build nuclear weapons -- although Tehran denies such claims, saying its nuclear program is for energy production.
Washington and Europe want Iran to halt all uranium enrichment, a technology that can be used to produce fuel or weapons, and have warned they would seek U.N. Security Council sanctions if Tehran does not comply.
Months of intense diplomacy appeared close to bearing fruit with the announcement of the tentative agreement Sunday. The deal could be finalized in the next few days, chief Iranian negotiator Hossein Mousavian told Iranian television from Paris, where talks wrapped up Saturday.
Details kept quiet
Diplomats in Austria familiar with the talks outcome declined to discuss details, noting leaks would jeopardize the delicate process of consensus on the package among Iran's various factions -- some hard-line, others seeking accommodation with Europe.
"I would hope that this would lead to the desired outcome, which is Iran to suspend both its enrichment and reprocessing-related activities and open the way for normalization of Iran's relations with the international community starting with Europe," ElBaradei said.
Tehran suspended uranium enrichment last year but has refused to stop the related activities, saying its program is solely to produce fuel for nuclear power generation.
Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer also called for global action to protect against threats to nuclear security.
"Proliferators and terrorists operate globally so any nuclear security weakness at the local or regional level risks being exploited," Downer added.