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Iran indicates it has no plans to halt enrichment

(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-07-06 10:38

Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (R) waves to journalists as Iranian chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili stands in the background before an official meeting in Tehran July 1, 2008. [Agencies]

"Iran's stand regarding its peaceful nuclear program has not changed," Elham told reporters. He said Iran was ready to negotiate on its program "within the framework of the international rules and regulations."

He did not elaborate. But Iranian state media reported Friday that EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana and Iran's top nuclear negotiator, Saeed Jalili, have agreed to hold the latest in a series of talks in the second half of July.

The European official, however, said no firm decision will be made by Solana to meet with Jalili until the contents of the Iranian response had been evaluated.

Related readings:  Iran: No change in nuclear stance  Iran sees better mood in nuclear talks  Bush reiterates diplomatic solution to Iran's issue  Iran says any attack would provoke fierce reaction

Iran's ambassador to Belgium presented the response to the incentives package to Solana in Brussels, Iranian state media reported Friday. European officials said they were studying the Iranian response and were consulting among themselves and with the United States, Russia and China on what to do next.

Acting on behalf of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany, Solana offered the modified package of economic incentives to Iran during his June visit to the country. The offer is meant to persuade Iran to halt enrichment.

Iran has repeatedly insisted it will not give up enrichment, but it had said the incentives package had some "common ground" with Tehran's own proposals for a resolution to the standoff.

Separately, EU nations also approved new sanctions against Iran in June, imposing additional financial and travel restrictions on a list of Iranian companies and experts, including the country's largest bank.

The six nations -- the US, China, Russia, France, Britain and Germany — first offered a package of economic, technological and political incentives to Tehran nearly two years ago on condition that it suspend enrichment.

The standoff has led to increasingly tense exchanges about the possibility of a military strike by Israel or the US. An Israeli military exercise last month was seen as a warning to Iran.

The commander of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards has said that Iran would consider any military action against its nuclear facilities as the beginning of a war. However, the general also has said he thinks a strike by Iran's adversaries is unlikely.

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