TEHRAN, Aug. 22 (Xinhua) -- Iran's top nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani on Tuesday issued an official reply to a six-nation package of proposals aimed at resolving the disputed nuclear issue.

    Larijani submitted Iran's formal response to the envoys from China, Russia, France, Germany, Britain and Switzerland.

    Switzerland is representing the United States since Washington has no diplomatic relations with Iran.

    No details concerning the response was available now, but officials close to the meeting disclosed that the response had offered a "new formula" to resolve the disputed nuclear issue.

    "Iran has given an all-sided response to the package, but also raised some questions," one of the officials said.

    Iran's state television on Tuesday termed the response as Iran's commitment to dialogue and promises, saying "Iran's response reveals that Iran is committed to dialogue and its promises ... It is in contrast with America's policy of unilateralism."

    Iran has promised to give an official response by Tuesday to the package of proposals, which was authored by the United States, Russia, China, France, Britain and Germany in June.

    The package, designed to defuse the current tensions over Iran's nuclear program, includes both incentives aimed at persuading Iran to suspend uranium enrichment and possible sanctions if Iran does not comply.

    On Monday, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said that Iran would continue its nuclear energy work.

    Deputy Director of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization Mohammad Sa'eedi also said that suspension of uranium enrichment was "practically impossible" even though the UN Security Council has made such a demand.

    The Security Council adopted a resolution last month urging Tehran to suspend by Aug. 31 all enrichment-related and reprocessing activities, including research and development, or face prospect of sanctions.

    The United States has accused Iran of secretly developing nuclear weapons under a civilian front, a charge categorically denied by Tehran which says that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes. Enditem

Chinese FM, UN chief exchange views on Lebanon, Iran 

    BEIJING, Aug. 22 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing on Tuesday exchanged views with UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan on the phone regarding the implementation of a UN resolution on Lebanon and the appropriate handling of the Iranian nuclear issue.

White House says it will parse Iranian response promptly

    WASHINGTON, Aug. 22 (Xinhua) -- The White House said Tuesday that it will not promptly parse Iran's response to a package of proposals agreed on by six nations to solve the nuclear standoff.

EU to analyze Iran's response to six-nation offer 

    BRUSSELS, Aug. 22 (Xinhua) -- European Union (EU) High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana said Tuesday that the Iranian reply to the six-nation package of incentives encouraging Iran to halt uranium enrichment needs "careful analysis."

Oil prices hover above 72 dollars on Iran news 

    NEW YORK, Aug. 22 (Xinhua) -- World crude prices hovered above 72 dollars on Tuesday as concerns over Iran eased.

Iran ready for talks over nuclear issue 

    TEHRAN, Aug. 22 (Xinhua) -- Iran is ready to start "serious talks" over its nuclear program as of Wednesday, top Iranian nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani was quoted by the semi-official ISNA news agency as saying on Tuesday.

Related: Iran issues official response to nuclear package

    TEHRAN, Aug. 22 (Xinhua) -- Iran's top nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani issued an official reply to a nuclear package backed by six nations on Tuesday.

    Larijani submitted Iran's formal response to the ambassadors of China, Russia, France, Germany, Britain and Switzerland. The Swiss ambassador is representing the United States since Washington has no diplomatic relations with Iran.

    No details concerning the response are available now. The officials have started their meeting over the reply at Iran's Supreme National Security Council building in central Tehran. Enditem

Iran to give atomic reply at 1230 GMT

    TEHRAN, Aug. 22 (Xinhua) -- Iran will give its response to a nuclear package backed by six nations to their ambassadors in Tehran at 4 p.m. (1230 GMT) on Tuesday.

    "The formal response will be presented to ambassadors of six world powers at around 4 p.m (1230 GMT)," said media sources.

    Iran has promised to give an official response by Tuesday to the package of proposals, which have been agreed on by the United States, Russia, China, France, Britain and Germany.