Iran said yesterday that a new proposal agreed by six world powers
over its disputed nuclear issue contained both "positive" elements and some
"ambiguities."
The proposal drafted by the European Union (EU) was formally presented to
Iran on Tuesday by EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana during a meeting with
Iran's top nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani held in the building of the Supreme
National Security Council in central Tehran.
"We had more than two hours of talks and the talks were good. We will study
these proposals and then give a formal response," Larijani told reporters after
the meeting.
"We can see there are some positive steps in the new proposal, but it also
contains some ambiguities," said Larijani, without indicating what parts of the
proposals are "ambiguous." "We welcome the European Union to resolve the issue
through dialogue and the two sides should have more negotiations again after our
careful study of the proposals," added the top nuclear negotiator.
Meanwhile, Solana held a separate meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister
Manouchehr Mottaki on Tuesday.
After the talks, Mottaki was quoted by the official IRNA newsagency as saying
that Iran would "brief friends of its views on Europe's latest proposal to
resolve the nuclear issue after careful studies."
Solana, on his part, termed his one-hour discussion with Mottaki as "good"
and praised the current atmosphere of talks, adding "Now that the proposal is on
the table, I hope we can receive a positive response which can satisfy both
sides."
Solana arrived in Tehran late on Monday with a new package agreed by the five
permanent members of the United Nations Security Council-- the United States,
Britain, France, Russia and China-- plus Germany last Thursday.
The new six-nation package contains economic and political incentives,
including talks with the United States, the West's help to build nuclear
reactors for Iran, a guaranteed supply of nuclear fuel and permission for Iran
to buy aircraft and spare parts if Tehran suspends uranium enrichment.
The package also includes an implicit threat of UN sanctions if Iran doesn't
comply.
Details of the proposals have not been made public yet. Upon his arrival at
the Iranian airport on Monday, Solana told reporters that the five permanent
members of the Security Council plus Germany wanted to start a fresh
relationship with Iran on the basis of mutual respect and trust.
"The new proposal could let us be engaged in negotiations based on trust,
confidence and respect," said Solana.
However, Iran has repeatedly claimed that it would never halt uranium
enrichment activities under pressure or threat.
Last weekend, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad reasserted during a
telephone conversation with United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan that
Iran was ready to hold talks on its nuclear program and that Tehran preferred
negotiations to be held democratically without any precondition or any threat.
Meanwhile, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei asserted on Sunday
that Tehran must not give up its "scientific goals" in the face of "threats and
bribes", warning that if the United States made a "wrong step" over Iran, oil
flow in the region would be affected.
The U.S., which severed diplomatic relations with Tehran in 1980, claims that
Iran is using its civilian nuclear program as a cover to produce nuclear
weapons, a charge Tehran has repeatedly denied.
Iran says that its nuclear program is merely to generate electricity, not
bombs and that Iran will not give up its legal right to peaceful nuclear
technology under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, to which Tehran is a
signatory.