Iran holds tough line as EU resumes talks

Confrontation rather than compromise has been brewing after declarations from Iran that the Holocaust is a myth and Israel should be wiped out, and a European Union accusation on Tuesday that Tehran has systematically violated human rights at home.

The Islamic republic's increasingly vocal hostility toward the Jewish state and commitment to developing sensitive technology that could yield ingredients for nuclear weaponry have stoked Western concern about its atomic programme.

Tehran says it aims only to generate more electricity for an energy-hungry economy. But it dodged UN nuclear inspectors for 18 years until 2003 and the West says its cooperation since has fallen short of what is needed to regain diplomatic confidence.

Wednesday's meeting between Iran and Britain, France and Germany in Vienna will be "talks about talks" -- exploring whether any basis exists for resuming negotiations on the future of Iran's nuclear activity, frozen by the "EU3" last August.

"We won't reopen negotiations, we will only listen to what the Iranians have to say, especially about research and development," said an EU3 diplomat, alluding to centrifuge machines capable of enriching uranium to arms-grade level.

"We will see whether what they say to us in private is any different from what they have been declaring in public, to see if there is wiggle room for resuming negotiations."

A diplomat said the talks had begun mid-morning at the French embassy in Vienna.