Tehran, Iran ? Iran on Thursday called for more countries to join three European states in talks about its nuclear program, apparently hoping to bring in more sympathetic negotiators. The surprise call was part of Tehran’s drive to win approval for what it says will be peaceful use of nuclear power.

The talks involving France, Germany and Britain suffered a blow earlier this month when Iran rejected the Europeans’ central proposal – an offer of economic incentives in return for permanently giving up uranium development. Tehran also resumed uranium conversion at its plant in the central city of Isfahan.

Iran’s new top nuclear negotiator, hard-liner Ali Larijani, said Thursday that more nations should join the talks.

“There is a serious question in Iran that asks why nuclear negotiations should be limited to just three European countries,” he told state-run television.

Larijani didn’t specify any nations but said his country would welcome negotiations with all 35 members of the board of governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency, the U.N.’s nuclear watchdog agency – as well as members of the Non-Aligned Movement, a bloc of 116 mostly developing countries.

The United States, which accuses Iran of seeking to develop atomic weapons, dismissed the proposal as a “typical tactic of the Iranian government designed to change the subject.” In Washington, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said the current format, involving the three EU nations, was the correct one and that Iran ought “to take the deal that is on the table.”

Europe also responded coolly to Larijani’s call.

Britain’s Foreign Office said there was “no basis for negotiation with Iran until they respond” to an IAEA resolution adopted earlier this month that calls on Iran to suspend reprocessing activities at Isfahan. The EU countries called off a negotiating session scheduled for next Wednesday because of the resumption of work there.

French Foreign Ministry spokesman Jean-Baptiste Mattei said France, Britain and Germany were not really alone in the talks with Tehran since they were acting on behalf of the 25-nation EU.

The three countries “negotiate in the name of the (other) Europeans and we are fully transparent … with our partners in the international community,” he said. He added that the talks also are carried out “in close liaison” with the IAEA.

IAEA board member Russia did not address the Iranian call. But Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Thursday there was no evidence proving Iran has violated the nuclear non-proliferation regime.

“We have no grounds to believe the presence of such a threat has been proven,” he said. “If a real threat to the non-proliferation regime emerges, we will look at it very seriously.”