The diplomat confirmed that the talks between the foreign ministers of Britain, France and Germany with Tehran's top nuclear negotiator Hassan Rowhani would be held next Tuesday, the second day of regular EU ministerial talks.

"We do not know what the Iranians are going to say. We will have to wait and see," he said, asking not to be named. But he added: "We hope that we can find a way out of this situation."

He quoted from a letter sent to Rowhani earlier this month by Britain's Jack Straw, France's Michel Barnier and Germany's Joschka Fischer as well as EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana warning Iran about its threats to resume key nuclear activities.

The letter notably warned Tehran of negative consequences if it broke its pledge to suspend nuclear fuel cycle activities, as agreed with the EU in Paris last November and certified by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

"Iran should be in no doubt that any such change to the suspension would be a clear breach of the Paris agreement and of the IAEA resolutions," said the letter, a copy of which was obtained by AFP.

"It would bring the negotiating process to an end. The consequences beyond could only be negative for Iran."

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