Special Report: Iran Nuclear Crisis

    GENEVA, June 25 (Xinhua) -- The European Union will continue to pursue a "duel strategy" of negotiations and sanctions on Iran's nuclear activity, the EU's foreign policy chief Javier Solana said here on Wednesday.

EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana, speaks to the press while attending a news conference at residency of German's Ambassador in Tehran on Saturday June 14, 2008.(Xinhua, File Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    "With Iran, we have a dual strategy: on the one hand negotiations ... and at the same time action through the United Nations," Solana told reporters after addressing a disarmament conference in Geneva.

    Solana said UN sanctions and diplomacy would run in parallel on the Iranian nuclear issue, but he preferred a diplomatic solution to the problem.

    "We want to have a solution which is diplomatically negotiated," he said.

    The 27-member EU on Monday decided at a meeting in Luxembourg to freeze the assets of Iran's largest bank, Bank Melli, and impose a travel ban on high-level experts dealing with Iran's nuclear program.     

Iran to withdraw money from EU in response to sanctions

    VIENNA, June 25 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Mahdi Safari has said Iran would withdraw money from European Union (EU) countries and invest in other regions in response to EU sanctions against Iran.

    In an interview published by the Austrian newspaper "Die Presse" Wednesday, Safari pointed out that the EU's sanctions against Iran would lead to serious consequences, namely Iran withdrawing money from EU countries. Full story

EU denies agreement on new sanctions against Iran

    LUXEMBOURG, June 16 (Xinhua) -- European Union (EU) foreign policy chief Javier Solana on Monday denied that EU foreign ministers have agreed on new sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program.

    "No decision has been taken today. That is the answer to your question: no decision has been taken today," said Solana when asked to clarify whether the ministers have come up with a decision on Iran. Full story

EU's Solana hopes for Tehran's positive response

    TEHRAN, June 14 (Xinhua) -- EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said on Saturday that he hoped for a positive response from Iran soon to the nuclear incentives package offered by the six major world powers.

    "I hope that the answer will be soon and positive," Solana told a press conference after talks with Iranian officials on Saturday. Full story

Iran rejects any halt of nuclear enrichment

    TEHRAN, June 14 (Xinhua) -- Iran's government spokesman Gholam Hossein Elham said on Saturday that the country will reject any nuclear deal offered by major world powers that demands a suspension of its uranium enrichment, the official IRNA news agency reported. Full story