Special report: Iran Nuclear Crisis
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Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
(L) shakes hands with UN Secretary General Kofi Annan during their meeting
in Tehran Sept. 3, 2006. (Xinhua Photo)
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U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan (L)
speaks with Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad during an official
meeting in Tehran Sept. 3, 2006. (Xinhua Photo)
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TEHRAN, Sept. 3 (Xinhua) -- Iranian President Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad Sunday told visiting UN chief Kofi Annan that Iran would not suspend
its uranium enrichment work ahead of talks.
"On the nuclear issue, the president reaffirmed to me
Iran's preparedness and commitment to hold negotiations," Annan told a joint
press conference with Iranian Foreign Minister Manoucher Mottaki.
But Ahmadinejad reiterated that Iran would not accept
suspension of uranium enrichment before negotiations, said Annan, who had a
meeting with the Iranian president earlier in the day. The UN chief said he
hoped all parties concerned would find a way to move forward at a planned
meeting between EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana and Iran's top nuclear
negotiator Ali Larijanithis week.
On the Lebanon issue, Annan said, "He (Ahmadinejad)
reaffirmedhis complete support for the implementation of (UN SecurityCouncil)
Resolution 1701."
An Israel-Hezbollah fighting erupted on July 12 after
two Israeli soldiers were captured and eight others killed by the Lebanese
Shiite group in a cross-border attack. The conflict ended on Aug. 14 under the
resolution.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid-Reza Asefi
said earlier in the day that Iran hoped to reach a consensus over its nuclear
issue after the meeting between Larijani and Solana. "The situation would be
more clear after the meeting and we hope to reach a consensus," Asefi told a
press briefing. Solana is expected to hold talks with Larijani this week to
clarify ambiguities in Iran's response to an incentive package offered by the
United States, Russia, China, France, Britain and Germany.
Asefi said the exact date and place of the meeting
were yet to be decided but it will be "within the next few days."The package
includes both incentives aimed at persuading Iran to suspend uranium enrichment
and possible sanctions if Iran does not comply.
Larijani delivered Tehran's written response to the
package onAug. 22 and urged the six nations to get back to negotiations, saying
Iran was ready to start "serious talks" over its nuclear program.
The UN Security Council adopted a resolution in late
July, urging Tehran to suspend by Aug. 31 all enrichment-related andreprocessing
activities, including research and development, or face prospect of sanctions.
On Thursday, International Atomic Energy Agency chief
Mohammed El Baradei presented a report to the Security Council, saying "Iran has
continued enriching uranium despite a UN nuclear deadline forit to suspend or
face possible sanctions."
U.S. President George W. Bush declared Thursday that
"there must be consequences" for Iran for refusing to stop enriching uranium.
John Bolton, Washington's ambassador to the UN, chose
to bemore specific, saying the Security Council must now draw upsanctions
against Iran.
The European Union, however, agreed on Saturday to
give Iranextra time, probably two weeks, to clarify ambiguities in itsresponse
to the six-nation package. Enditem
