The EU trio -- Britain, France and Germany -- had postponed a meeting with
the United States to discuss Iran's response to the six-nation package of
incentives aimed at resolving Tehran's disputed nuclear program, the New York
Times reported yesterday.
The EU trio and the United States had considered to hold the meeting on
Wednesday in New York to coordinate their stance on Iran's response. But foreign
ministers from the European countries were still studying Iran's response, the
report said, citing a senior U.S. official.
The United States, in its first formal reaction to Iran's response, said on
Wednesday that Iran's position "falls short" of the UN Security Council's
demands.
On June 1, the five permanent members of the Security Council plus Germany
offered Iran a package of incentives in exchange for Tehran's suspension of its
uranium enrichment.
Iran's top nuclear negotiator ALi Larijani on Tuesday hand-delivered a
written response to the package to the ambassadors from Europe, China and
Russia, in which Tehran refused to suspend uranium enrichment, a key demand by
the West.
The United States has accused Iran of trying to develop nuclear weapons under
the cover of civilian nuclear programs. Iran has repeatedly said its nuclear
programs are purely for peaceful purposes.