On his arrival, ElBaradei was asked by an Iranian journalist why he needed to visit when Iran had cooperated with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), to which he bluntly replied: "I think that does not necessarily reflect the facts."

"This is not a political issue, this is a technical issue," he added. He comment was an apparent dismissal of Iranian allegations that the IAEA was putting pressure on the Islamic republic because of lobbying by Tehran's arch-enemy, the United States.

The US accuses Iran of using its atomic energy programme as a cover for the secret development of nuclear weapons, a charge angrily denied by Tehran.

"I would like to close the issue tomorrow, if not today, but there are outstanding issues," ElBaradei said.

The IAEA director general told reporters accompanying him on his one-day visit that the 35-member board of governors of his Vienna-based anti-proliferation agency had become "impatient with Iran's cooperation".

WAR.WIRE