Region | Iran
Iran to address nuclear issue
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Tuesday Iran had prepared proposals to end a stalemate over its nuclear ambitions with six world powers, state television reported.
- Agencies
- Published: 23:07 April 15, 2009
Tehran: President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Tuesday Iran had prepared proposals to end a stalemate over its nuclear ambitions with six world powers, state television reported.
"We have prepared a package that can be the basis to resolve Iran's nuclear problem. It will be offered to the West soon," Ahmadinejad said in a televised speech in the southeastern province of Kerman.
The United States, Russia, China, France, Germany and Britain said last week they would ask European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana to invite Iran to a meeting to find "a diplomatic solution to this critical issue".
It marked a significant shift in US policy under President Barack Obama, whose predecessor George W. Bush shunned direct talks with Tehran as long as it pressed ahead with uranium enrichment that the West fears is meant to yield atomic bombs.
Iran welcomed on Monday a "constructive" dialogue with the six world powers, in the clearest Iranian signal yet it would accept an invitation for talks on its disputed nuclear activity.
Ahmadinejad did not give details of the new package, but said the world could not be ruled by "using force".
"This new package will ensure peace and justice for the world. It respects rights of all nations," he said.
It was unclear whether Iran's counter-offer would be essentially different from previous ill-fated exchanges.
The six world powers originally offered Iran economic and political incentives in 2006 to suspend enrichment. Iran's response hinted at some flexibility but ruled out suspension as a precondition for talks as stipulated by the powers.
Last June the six improved the offer while retaining the precondition. In reply, Iran said it wanted to negotiate a broader peace and security deal and rejected any "condescending" formula to shelve its nuclear programme.
Western officials said Iran's second response endorsed talks for talks' sake and was useless because it again sidestepped the suspension issue.
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