Iran had made progress in the explanation of certain questions concerning its controversial nuclear program, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Mohammed El-Baradei said in Bratislava, capital of Slovakia on Friday.

After meeting with Slovak Foreign Minister Jan Kubis in Bratislava, Baradei said he hoped that Iran would continue to show maximal transparency in order to dispel all fears of the international community and meet the U.N. Security Council's demands, the Czech news agency CTK reported.

The international community's relations with Iran would only normalize when all the fears are dispelled, he said.

Baradei declined to comment on the possible further sanctions against Iran, pointing out that it would be a political decision by the Security Council.

Kubis said that Iran could face new sanctions and that support for these sanctions was being discussed at the European Union.

"We have not yet registered Iran fulfilling the Security Council's previous resolution," Kubis said.

At the same day, Baradei also met representatives of the Slovak Economy and Education ministries.

They discussed the planned shutdown of the second unit in the V1 block of the Jaslovske Bohunice nuclear power plant, the planned completion of two new blocks at the Mochovce nuclear power plant, and the considered construction of a new power plant.

Baradei said the IAEA had no reservations about safety of the Slovak nuclear facilities.

IAEA had no critical comments on the reliability and safety of the Slovak nuclear program, he added.

Safety is a permanent process and it cannot stop, he said, adding that he called on his Slovak colleagues to continue cooperation.

(Xinhua News Agency January 19, 2008)