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.

US not to 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.