'Iran ready to accept US involvement in nuke talks'

Britain, France and Germany began talks in Brussels on Monday with Iran aimed at brokering a long-term agreement over Tehran's nuclear activities, which Washington says are geared to building atomic arms.

Iran says its nuclear facilities will only be used to generate electricity.

Washington has so far given only lukewarm backing to the Iran-EU talks, with several officials hinting they expect the negotiations to fail to halt Iran's atomic ambitions.

This approach prompted seven former foreign ministers, led by ex-Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, to argue in a newspaper article Monday that Washington must throw its weight behind the talks if they are to succeed.