Iran delays reply on U.N.-backed atom deal to next week

By Mark Heinrich

VIENNA (Reuters) - Iran told the U.N. nuclear watchdog it is favourably examining a plan for it to cut an atomic stockpile the West fears could be used for weapons, the agency said, but delayed a response to next week.

Iranian officials gave a more negative message earlier on Friday by saying Tehran preferred to acquire enriched uranium abroad rather than send out its own under the U.N.-drafted plan accepted by the United States, Russia and France.

Their remarks suggested that instead of engaging with the IAEA's draft, Iran was following a well-tested strategy of buying time to blunt Western pressure for harsher international sanctions while it presses on with nuclear research.

"Iran informed the Director-General today that it is considering the proposal in depth and in a favourable light, but needs time until the middle of next week to provide a response," the International Atomic Energy Agency said in a statement.

It said IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei, who had set a deadline of Friday for responses, hoped Iran's response "will equally be positive, since approval of this agreement will signal a new era of cooperation" after seven years of mounting confrontation.

But the stance taken by Iranian officials earlier offered little to douse concern about a nuclear "breakout" risk in Iran.

Buying enriched uranium abroad would not only fail to reduce the domestic stockpile worrying the international community, but also require sanctions imposed on Iran since 2006 to be waived to allow it to import such sensitive nuclear material.

"Iran is interested in buying fuel for the Tehran research reactor within the framework of a clear proposal," Iranian state television quoted a member of Iran's negotiating team, who attended nuclear talks in Vienna this week, as saying.