ElBaradei urges Iran to 'accelerate' cooperation

The UN nuclear watchdog chief pressed Iran on Friday to "accelerate" its cooperation with his agency to so he can shed more light on Tehran's controversial nuclear program in an upcoming crucial report. Mohamed ElBaradei, who heads the International Atomic Energy Agency, said he asked Iran for better transparency and assurances regarding the country's current nuclear activities. "We discussed how we can work together to accelerate the pace of our cooperation to clarify all outstanding issues before my report in March," ElBaradei told reporters Friday after meeting with Iran's Vice President Gholam Reza Aghazadeh. ElBaradei characterized their talks as a "frank and open exchange of views."