Iran Views Negotiated End to N. Standoff Possible
News number: 870413068819:43 | 2008-07-03Nuclear
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=8704130688

TEHRAN (FNA)- Iran said Wednesday that a "multi-faceted solution" to its
nuclear standoff with six major powers was possible.

"We see the possibility of arriving at a multi-faceted solution," Iranian
Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki told a press conference at the United
Nations, commenting on a revised package of incentives.

On June 14, the EU Foreign Policy Chief Javier Solana presented a package of
incentives to the Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki. The package
was drawn up by the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus
Germany (5+1 Group) and requires Iran to renounce its right to uranium
enrichment in exchange for a set of incentives.

Iran persists in its position that its nuclear program is aimed solely at
meeting the needs of its growing population for electricity and rejects
allegations by the US and its allies that it is bent upon developing nuclear
weapons.

Despite repeated statements by Solana and other western leaders that the new
offer comprises improved aids to Tehran, western diplomats said that it
contained no new major enticement compared with the previous package.

Mottaki told reporters that an examination of the package "will enter the
final stage soon."

Mottaki said talks with EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana, who presented
the package in Tehran last month, were respectful and a bit different from
the past.

"The approach adopted by Mr. Solana was different from the past. It was
respectful," he added.

"We are studying it (the package) with a constructive regard," he said.

"We will inform the different parties of our decision," Mottaki said,
referring to the five permanent members of the UN Security Council -
Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States - plus Germany.

The Islamic republic news agency meanwhile quoted Mottaki as saying in an
interview with US media in New York Tuesday that a "new process" was
underway in the five-year nuclear crisis after Solana's visit to Tehran last
month.

"A process is underway and it started with the package delivered by Iran,"
Mottaki said. "This package presented tackled important questions and then
on the other side the world powers offered their own package."

Iran's own package is a more all-embracing effort to solve global problems
and notably suggests setting up a consortium in Iran for enriching uranium.

Mottaki would not comment on reports that Solana had proposed a "freeze for
freeze" formula as a prelude to more substantive talks..

Under the proposal Tehran would freeze its nuclear enrichment program at
current levels in exchange for which there would be no additional sanctions
by the UN Security Council.

"A good package has been presented, we're waiting for an authoritative
answer," said US Ambassador to the UN Zalmay Khalilzad. "We hope that the
answer will be yes and an unambiguous yes."

On Tuesday, a top advisor to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyed Ali
Khamenei spoke out in favor of negotiations with the world powers.

Britain's UN Ambassador John Sawers told reporters in New York on Wednesday
that the "freeze for freeze" formula, offered in the package, has been
designed "to create a climate whereby we can talk about getting into talks."

"We can have a period of weeks, not specified, a period when the Iranians do
not do any augmentation of their nuclear program, don't add to the number of
centrifuges ... and the Security Council does not take any further action on
sanctions," he added.

The UN Security Council has imposed three sets of sanctions against Tehran
for defying UN resolutions to give up its right of uranium enrichment.

Iran insists it has the right to enrich uranium to make nuclear fuel to help
meet its energy needs. Iran insists its nuclear program is peaceful and has
vehemently denied western allegations that it is seeking to make weapons.

Russia, which has always insisted the crisis should be solved through
diplomacy, issued a stark warning about the dangers of a military strike.

"All this is very dangerous. If force is used it will be catastrophic for
the whole Middle East," a Russian foreign ministry official told journalists
on condition of anonymity.

Tel Aviv and Washington have recently intensified their threats to launch
military action against Iran to make Tehran drop what they allege to be a
non-peaceful nuclear program, while a recent report by 16 US intelligence
bodies endorsed the civilian nature of Iran's programs.

Following the US National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) and similar reports by
the IAEA head - one in November and the other one in February - which
praised Iran's truthfulness about key aspects of its past nuclear activities
and announced settlement of outstanding issues with Tehran, any effort to
impose further sanctions or launch military attack on Iran seems to be
completely irrational.

The February report by the UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic
Energy Agency, praised Iran's cooperation in clearing up all of the past
questions over its nuclear program, vindicating Iran's nuclear program and
leaving no justification for any new UN sanctions.

Following the said reports by US and international bodies, many world states
have called the UN Security Council pressure against Tehran unjustified,
demanding that Iran's case must be normalized and returned from the UNSC to
the IAEA.