Tehran's attempt to reach out to New Delhi comes as international efforts are being intensified to reach a consensus and avoid a vote. Safari is scheduled to arrive here on Thursday for a two-day visit during which he will meet top South block officials besides holding talks with his Indian counterpart, Rajiv Sikri, secretary in the Indian Ministry of External Affairs. India has been in favor (the PM himself has said as much) of settling the matter within the ambit of the IAEA instead of escalating it by referring Iran's nuclear dossir to the UN Security Council. The last political contact between the two sides took place last month when former external affairs minister K Natwar Singh met Iranian Vice-President Parviz Davoudi in Moscow. Safari was accompanying Davoudi on that visit, the English daily `Indian Express' reported here today. The EU-3 (Britain, France and Germany) has been discussing a fresh proposal to defuse the crisis. According to reports, the compromise proposed would allow Iran to convert raw uranium ore into gas but enrichment will have to be undertaken in Russia. Russian National Security Advisor Igor Ivanov was in Tehran this week to discuss the proposal with the Iranian leadership. PIN/IRNA