If Iran still has no response to the six-nation package proposal until July
12, the foreign ministers of Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the
United States will meet to discuss the next step to be taken on the Iranian
nuclear issue, a diplomat in Vienna said on Monday.
If Iran impresses on Javier Solana, the senior EU envoy on diplomacy and
security affairs, that it just wants to delay, on Wednesday when Solana meets
with top Iranian nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani, the foreign ministers of six
nations will consult on the next step on Iran's nuclear issue, reported the
Austria Press Agency (APA) citing a diplomat in Vienna.
In the same report, APA said that Western powers consider July 12 as the
deadline for Iran to suspend uranium enrichment and rebuild the negotiations
with the European Union.
"Otherwise Iran may have to face the threat of sanction from the UN Security
Council," said the report.
Seyed Ali Hosseini-Tash, deputy secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security
Council, reiterated on Monday that Iran will not give up its right to the
peaceful use of nuclear power.
"The coming talks between Larijani and Solana aims to discuss the six-nation
package, and clarify the unclear contents," he said.
He stressed that Iran needs time to study the package seriously, and that
Solana as well as other sides should not expect a response from Iran.
"We do not need to make response (to the package)", he said.
Solana presented the six-nation package to Iran on June 6, which includes
incentive and punitive measures.
The foreign ministers of the Group of Eight issued a declaration in Moscow on
June 29, urging Iran to deliver an official response at the coming meeting with
Solana. But Iran said that it would have no response before
August.