Deputy Director General of IAEA and Chief UN Weapons Inspector Olli Heinonen(l) and IAEA's Director General Mohamed ElBaradei (center)

The head of the U.N. nuclear agency says the international community is losing patience with Iran over its nuclear activities.

Speaking in Oslo Friday, Mohamed ElBaradei encouraged European negotiators to continue talking with Iran.  Those talks broke down in August, when Iran resumed uranium conversion, the precursor to enrichment.

Without elaborating, he said outstanding nuclear issues with Iran should be clarified next year.

Mr. ElBaradei is in the Norwegian capital to receive the Nobel Peace Prize on Saturday. He shares the award with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

The Nobel committee said the prize was awarded in recognition of Mr. ElBaradei and the agency's efforts to use nuclear energy in safe, peaceful ways and prevent it from being used for military purposes.