UN Secretary General Kofi Annan has returned from his trip to Iran where he met with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

• Kofi Annan: “On the nuclear issue the president reaffirmed to me, Iran’s preparedness and determination to negotiate and find a solution to the crisis. He indicated again that they do not accept suspension before negotiations, but they are prepared to negotiate.”

Annan’s trip came just days after Iran defied a UN deadline to suspend its uranium enrichment program. In an interview published today, Annan urged the international community not to isolate Iran over its nuclear program. On Wednesday Iran’s top nuclear negotiator is expected to meet with Javier Solana, the European Union’s foreign policy chief. The United States has been pushing for sanctions against Iran but the idea has been rejected by both China and Russia.