"I want to point out again that France is available to negotiate," Douste-Blazy told a joint news conference with visiting Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni.

"As we have always said ... a return to the negotiating table is tied to the suspension of uranium enrichment," he said.

"The Iranians know the rules of the game -- first, a suspension of sensitive nuclear activities," he said.

"We have requested a meeting with our European partners, in particular the member of the EU-3 (France, Britain and Germany) and also (EU foreign policy chief) Javier Solana ... We have firmly reacted to the Iranian nuclear issue," Douste-Blazy added.

He said France was studying Iran's response to an offer made by Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States for economic and nuclear cooperation in exchange for a halt to Tehran's nuclear program.

On Tuesday, Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani delivered an official response to the six-nation package of proposals on resolving the international nuclear dispute.

Larijani said Iran was ready for "serious talks." But no details of the response have been made public at present.

The UN Security Council has given Iran a deadline of Aug. 31 to cease all uranium enrichment activities.