Iran says ready for "constructive" talks

(Getty Images)

Iran said on Wednesday it was ready for "constructive" talks with world powers, while making clear once again the Islamic Republic would not discuss what it sees as its nuclear rights.

Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili held a telephone conversation with European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana a day before Tehran is expected to give its response to a UN-drafted nuclear fuel deal in Vienna.

Iranian media have said Tehran would accept the framework of the draft agreement to send part of its enriched uranium abroad for further processing, but it would also demand changes to it.

The official IRNA news agency, citing a statement by Iran's Supreme National Security Council, said Jalili "expressed Iran's readiness for constructive talks" in his conversation with Solana.

But, he added, "Iran would only welcome negotiations within the framework of its proposed package, considering mutual priorities."

He was referring to a package of proposals submitted in September by Iran to the six world powers - the United States, Russia, China, France, Britain and Germany - which offered broad talks on global nuclear disarmament and other issues.

The package did not mention Iran's own nuclear programme, which Tehran says is for peaceful power generation but which the West suspects is aimed at making bombs.

Iranian officials have repeatedly ruled out talks on the country's "nuclear rights" and reject demands for it to halt uranium enrichment, which can have both civilian and military purposes.

IRNA said Solana described Iran's package of proposals as comprehensive and stressed the need for a continuation of talks.

Iran met with Solana and officials from the six powers in Geneva on Oct 1.

Iran agreed in those talks to open up a newly disclosed uranium enrichment plant for inspections by the UN nuclear agency watchdog and, diplomats said, to ship much of its low-enriched uranium abroad for further processing.

But Iranian lawmakers have since cast doubt on the second understanding, expressing a preference for Iran to import the fuel it needs for a Tehran research reactor rather than sending its own uranium out of the country. (Reuters)

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