U.N. chief asks Iran for response on nukes

? The head of the U.N. nuclear agency urged Iran on Monday to clarify its response amid mixed signals over a U.S.-backed proposal that would have Tehran ship most of its nuclear material abroad for processing.

Iran’s foreign minister said that option still exists while a senior diplomat suggested the opposite. The proposal would have Tehran export 70 percent of its enriched uranium — enough to make a bomb — and then have it returned as fuel for its research reactor.

Tehran’s contrasting messages appear designed to keep the international community off balance on how far Iran is ready to go in accepting the original proposal.

Addressing the U.N. General Assembly, Mohamed ElBaradei said “a number of questions and allegations relevant to the nature” of Iran’s program remained, and he called for confidence-building measures on all sides.

The U.S. and other powers are concerned Iran may be enriching uranium for use in nuclear weapons, while Tehran insists its program is strictly for research and energy production.