Vienna  - Diplomats gathered in Vienna on Monday for a meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) board, amid increasing pressure from Western countries on Iran to enter talks to solve the nuclear standoff.

Iran's controversial nuclear programme, as well as Syria's alleged secret nuclear reactor project, were key items on the agenda at the regular fall meeting of the nuclear watchdog's governing board.

IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei, in his latest report on Iran, said that the country had been more cooperative in letting his agency monitor the uranium enrichment plant in Natanz and a heavy water reactor that is under construction.

However, Tehran showed no willingness to answer outstanding questions over past studies which could have been related to the development of nuclear weapons, according to the report that was issued in late August.

The Vienna meeting comes amid growing consensus among European countries towards additional sanctions to pressure Iran to enter into negotiations and to halt its enrichment activities, which have been scaled back slightly in past months.

Although the government in Tehran has announced a new proposal that would form the basis of talks with the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Monday said the nuclear issue should only be dealt with at the IAEA in Vienna.

US President Barack Obama has set a deadline for September to see positive signals from Iran. (dpa)