Iran Says Ready for September Talks if Conditions Met
VOA News 06 July 2010
Iran's nuclear negotiator says the Tehran government is willing to start talks with six world powers on its nuclear program beginning September 1, if the other side meets several conditions.
Iranian state media said Tuesday Saeed Jalili made the offer in a letter to EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, who is representing the six powers. He was replying to an offer made by Ashton in early June to resume talks on the Iranian nuclear program.
In his letter, Jalili says the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China must clarify whether the goal of renewed talks is cooperation or hostility with Iran.
He also says the six powers must make clear whether they support the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and clarify their position on Israel's purported nuclear arsenal.
Western nations suspect Iran is trying to build atomic weapons. Iran says its nuclear program is peaceful.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad declared a two-month freeze in nuclear talks with the six powers last week to protest their support for a fourth round of U.N. sanctions against Tehran. The U.N. Security Council approved the latest sanctions on June 9.
Israel is thought to be the only nuclear-armed nation in the region, but neither confirms nor denies such a status.
Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.
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