No deal in Iran nuclear talks, says Solana

European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana says Iran has not agreed to suspend its most sensitive nuclear activities, despite four months of intensive talks.

He says time is running out for Iran to avoid sanctions.

"This dialogue I am maintaining cannot last forever and it is up to the Iranians now to decide whether this time has come to an end," he told the European Parliament's foreign affairs committee.

"And if that is the case, we will have to follow the second track [a UN sanctions resolution]," he said.

It is the clearest statement so far by the man negotiating with Tehran on behalf of major world powers that he has failed to achieve a breakthrough on the UN Security Council's central demand.

Iran insists its long-secret nuclear program is purely for civilian energy purposes but the west suspects it is aimed at developing an atomic bomb.

As Mr Solana spoke, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad told a televised rally Tehran wanted the talks to continue but would not be pressured into stopping even for a second on its path to obtaining nuclear technology.

Mr Solana has not ruled out further talks with Iran.

He put forward a package of economic, technological and political incentives in June on behalf of the US, Russia, China, France, Britain and Germany on condition that Tehran froze uranium enrichment activities.

Foreign ministers from the US, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany are set to meet Mr Solana on Friday in London to decide on moving forward with a sanctions resolution.

- Reuters