WASHINGTON, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) -- The United States and
four other permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany are
considering new sanctions against Iran after Tehran failed to give clear answer
to an incentives package by the six major powers, the State Department said
Wednesday.
"We are very disappointed that Iran has failed yet
again to give ... a clear answer to the P5+1 generous incentives package. The
letter we received yesterday appears to be a stalling tactic," State Department
spokesman Gonzalo Gallegos said.
Due to this reason, Gallegos said, "The P5+1 (major
powers) are discussing next steps in the UN Security Council and beginning to
consider possible outlines of another sanctions resolution."
Gallegos made the remarks after the United States,
Britain, France, Russia, China and Germany, who have been working together for
the settlement of Iran's nuclear program, held a conference call Wednesday after
Tehran failed to give a clear answer to an incentives package by the six
countries.
The spokesman declined to comment the a building new
sanctions against Iran, saying "I am not going to guess how long this will take
and where it may ultimately lead."
The UN Security Council has imposed three sanctions
resolution against Tehran's nuclear program since December 2006, demanding a
halt of the uranium enrichment work. However, Iran has repeatedly turned down
the request.
On July 19, European Union foreign policy chief
Javier Solana and Iran's top nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalali held nuclear talks
in Geneva over Tehran's disputed nuclear program. U.S. Undersecretary of State
William Burns attended the meeting.
During the one-day meeting, Iran failed to give a
clear answer to the package of incentives proposed by six major countries -- the
United States, Britain, France, Russia, China and Germany, requiring the country
to suspend its nuclear enrichment program in exchange for political and economic
benefits.
Iran was expected to give final response to the
incentives offer on Aug. 2. Tehran, which rejects the two-week deadline for
response to the package, delivered a letter from Iranian Foreign Minister
Manouchehr Mottaki to Solana on July 4, which did not mention nuclear
suspension.
The United States and its Western allies criticized
Iran for its evasive answer to the offers by the six major countries, and warned
that if no positive response is delivered by Tehran, there will be no choice but
to ask the United Nations to proceed with further sanctions.
The United States and its allies have accused Iran of
developing nuclear weapons, but Iran insists that its nuclear program is only
for peaceful purposes.
BERLIN, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) -- Germany on Wednesday rejected Iran's response to an
offer of negotiations over its nuclear program, saying the response is
"insufficient."
"The (German) government finds the response sent yesterday
(Tuesday) by Iran to the comprehensive offer ... insufficient," German Foreign
Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said in a statement. Full story
UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) -- Iran's response to an
incentive package offered by the United States and five other nations is
"disappointing," said Alejandro Wolff, the U.S. deputy ambassador to the United
Nations, on Wednesday.
"This is a nonresponsive, disappointing response," said
Wolff, speaking to reporters after a meeting of the Security Council. Full story
