THE HEAD OF THE U.N. NUCLEAR WATCHDOG APPEALED FOR A DIPLOMATIC SOLUTION TO THE CRISIS OVER IRAN'S NUCLEAR PROGRAMME ON THURSDAY, ACCORDING TO REUTERS. MOHAMED ELBARADEI, HEAD OF THE INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY (IAEA), WELCOMED THE U.N. SECURITY COUNCIL'S HOLDING OFF FROM SANCTIONS ON IRAN OVER ITS NUCLEAR PROGRAMME AS EUROPEANS WORK ON A PACKAGE OF BENEFITS TO INDUCE TEHRAN TO COOPERATE. "I HOPE BOTH SIDES WILL MOVE AWAY FROM THE WAR OF WORDS, I HOPE THE PITCH WILL GO DOWN, I HOPE PEOPLE WILL ADOPT A COOL-HEADED APPROACH," ELBARADEI TOLD A NEWS CONFERENCE AT AMSTERDAM AIRPORT. "WE NEED COMPROMISES FROM BOTH SIDES."
