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Iran urges US to modify approach to facilitate talks
8/6/2006 9:53

Iran's top nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani yesterday called on the United States to modify its approach to facilitate possible talks with Tehran, the official IRNA news agency reported.

The United States made many big mistakes and if they change their attitude, there will be no obstacle for them to have talks with Iran, Larijani said in an interview with the Swedish daily Svenska Dagblat.

"We are on the threshold of making an important decision, there are two choices for the United States to select," said Larijani. "One is to continue its wrong path -- utilizing international bodies as tools of power and Iran will certainly respond in the same way, then it will make no sense to hold talks," he said, adding the second choice is to adopt a reasonable approach and admit their past mistakes.

When asked about whether Tehran considers the U.S. mood toward Iran similar to that used against Iraq before the Iraq war in 2003, Larijani said "we have lived with such comments for 28 years, but we have not been affected."

"I think world peace can be maintained without such rude words," he added.

Larijani made the comments just one day after his meeting with visiting EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana, who presented him an international offer of incentives if Iran agrees to suspend uranium enrichment.

The new package was agreed by the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany last Thursday.

The proposal includes multilateral 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 Airbus aircraft and spare parts if Tehran suspends uranium enrichment first.

The United States may offer a lift of certain incentives, such as supplying Tehran with some nuclear technology and permission to buy Boeing aircraft, if Iran agrees to freeze enrichment, said western diplomats familiar with the package.

According to the Washington Post on Wednesday, Iran has been offered the possibility to carry out uranium enrichment if the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the UN Security Council are satisfied that Iran is not seeking nuclear weapons.

Iran has insisted on its right to peaceful nuclear technology, saying it only wants to enrich uranium to make reactor fuel. But the United States has accused Iran of acquiring an atomic bomb under the cover of civilian nuclear program.



Xinhua