France said on Tuesday it is taking part in nuclear talks between Iran and world powers in Vienna despite Tehran saying it did not want France to be part of any deal on uranium enrichment.

"It is a meeting of experts, in which we are participating," foreign ministry spokesman Bernard Valero told reporters. "The discussions are continuing."

"There are many technical parameters to take into account for the supply of nuclear fuel and we will see later which states will take part," Valero said.

The start of the second day of talks was delayed after Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said in Tehran that France was not needed at the discussions, which also involve Russia and the United States.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) did not say why the talks had been delayed even though all the delegations had gathered at the UN watchdog's headquarters in the Austrian capital.

Iran has told the IAEA it needs fuel for a research reactor and a proposal has been made for Russia and France to enrich Iranian uranium. Western powers want greater control of Iran's uranium which they fear is being used to build a nuclear bomb.

Mottaki said that the IAEA had "contacted some countries and the United States and Russia accepted to participate in the negotiations to supply the fuel."

"The negotiations will be conducted with these two countries in the presence of the agency. We do not need a lot of fuel and we do not need the presence of many countries. There is no need for France to be present," he said.

1. link="" name="">International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)