U.S. Will Judge Iran on 'Actions' after IAEA Deal

The United States gave a cool reception Tuesday to a mooted deal between the IAEA and Iran, saying the agreement marked a "step forward" but stating that Tehran would be judged on its actions.

International Atomic Energy Agency chief Yukiya Amano said upon returning from Tehran that he and Iran's chief nuclear negotiator made a "decision" to reach an agreement on the U.N. watchdog probing suspected weapons activities.

But contrary to the hopes of some diplomats before he left on Sunday, Amano failed to actually sign a deal, saying at a Vienna airport that this would happen "quite soon" because of remaining, unspecified "differences."

"It's important to note that the announcement today is a step forward," White House spokesman Jay Carney said, calling the planned agreement "certainly significant."

However, he added: "We will make judgments about Iran's behavior based on actions."

A key demand of world powers is that Iran address accusations in a major IAEA report in November that, until 2003, and possibly since, Tehran did work "relevant to the development of a nuclear explosive device."

One Western diplomat told Agence France Presse there had been "no breakthrough" in Amano's visit. Another said the trip appeared disappointing but that they were waiting for a "clearer picture" at meetings in Vienna later on Tuesday.

"This is only a promise, and Iran has made many, many promises in the past," said a third diplomat, adding that Tehran was possibly trying to appear cooperative ahead of Wednesday's meeting in Baghdad.

The U.S. mission in Vienna said that while it appreciated Amano's efforts, it was "concerned by the urgent obligation for Iran to take concrete steps to cooperate fully" with the agency.