Iran urges Europe to remove ambiguities at the earliest
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
Tehran, July 11, IRNA
Iran-Asefi-Nuclear
Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid-Reza Asefi here Tuesday called on European negotiators to remove ambiguities found by Tehran on the package of incentives offered to it by the six world powers (Group 5+1) in exchange for suspension of uranium enrichment and resumption of talks.
Asefi made the call while speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an open session of Majlis.
EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana traveled to Iran on June 6 to deliver a package of incentives approved by the UN Security Council's five permanent members -- Russia, China, Britain France and the US -- plus Germany for Iran to suspend uranium enrichment and resume talks to settle the dispute over its nuclear program.
Since then Tehran has been meticulously studying the package through committees.
"The ball is now in Europe's court. It can accelerate Iran's response to the package by removing certain ambiguities found in it at the earliest," Asefi said.
"If Europe fails to clear these ambiguities, Tehran's ongoing review and response to the package will have to be postponed," he added.
"We began studying the package from the time we received it and have been making good progress. But we found more ambiguities as we moved on," he said.
The spokesman, elaborating on the ambiguities, said they were not limited to one aspect in the package.
"These ambiguities pertain to several aspects and include political and economic issues as well as the issue of use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes."
Larijani went on to say that Iran intends to raise certain questions on the proposed incentives in today's meeting between Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Larijani and European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana in Brussels.
"If Solana has the answers then he can give them, but if he needs to consult then he should call for it."
Asefi reiterated that no deadline has been fixed for Iran to reply to the offered incentives, and said Tehran will not be pressured to give an immediate reply.
"Iran's response may be clarified as talks progress. Iran had (initially) welcomed the offer because it chose the path of negotiations instead of confrontation."
He rejected the suggestion leaders of the Group of Eight industrialized nations (G8) that are to meet in St Petersburg, Russia on July 15 would pressure Iran to give an early reply, adding that the "G8 represents various viewpoints."
"It cannot be said that the summit is to be held in order to pressure Iran."
He said veto-wielding states such as China and Russia would not follow that view.
The US view notwithstanding, Asefi said Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov had already said that his country would not support the idea of imposing sanctions on Iran.
"If the G8 adopted a stance that runs counter to the chosen path of negotiations (of the 5+1 Group), it will undoubtedly have adverse consequences."
Asked what measures Iran had taken in the wake of the terrorist explosion in Iraq's Kufa city and martyrdom of several Iranians, he expressed regret over the incident and said the blast was the work of enemies opposed to Iraq's integrity.
"We held talks with Iraqi officials. Interior ministries of Iran and Iraq and the two countries' Red Crescent held negotiations in this regard."
The spokesman added: "We have called on the Iraqi officials to meet our concerns and provide security to Iranian pilgrims." He said the Iraqi officials had promised to follow up the issue of security for Iranian pilgrims more seriously and thoroughly.
Asefi said the exchange of pilgrims between the two countries will continue and that Iran will follow up its negotiations with the the Iraqi side to provide security to Iranian pilgrims.
He called on Iranians who intend to go on pilgrimages in the future to make sure they visit Iraqi holy sites through legal channels.
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