Special report:
Iran Nuclear
Crisis
TEHRAN, June 18 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Foreign
Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi Sunday blamed the United States for its
activities to prevent the Europe Union (EU) from offering a compromise on Iran's
nuclear dispute.
"Obviously, the U.S. is trying to bring the
Europe to a place where the nuclear case can not be resolved," Asefi told
reporters.
Washington always imposed preconditions on the
nuclear negotiation, which has reduced the possibilities to hold talks and added
more difficulties for all parties to come to an agreement, denounced the
spokesman.
Referring to the purported time limit for Iran
to respond to the six-nation package, Asefi stressed "the Americans said they
had given us a time deadline to respond, but it's not correct and not
appropriate."
"We are studying the package carefully now, and
we will tell Europe our opinions after we finish the research process," he
added.
Meanwhile, Asefi also referred to the possible
talks between Iran and the U.S. on the Iraqi issue, saying direct talks between
the two sides is not on Iran's agenda now.
The EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana on
June 6 presented to Iran a new package over Iran's nuclear issue, which had been
agreed by the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council plus
Germany in a meeting in Vienna.
The proposal includes both incentives aimed at
persuading Iran to suspend uranium enrichment and possible sanctions if Iran
chooses not to comply.
Western countries have asked Iran to accept the
proposals and give a formal respond to the international community before the
end of June.
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said
on Friday that she had noticed some positive statements from the Iranian top
officials, but insisting "the international community needs an (official
Iranian) answer to know if the negotiation track is going to bear fruit."
U.S. President George W. Bush also warned that
Iran has only few weeks but not months to give a respond to the international
community. Enditem
