...

Iran Government spokesman: Annan's Iran visit positive

Iran Materials 4 September 2006 16:07 (UTC +04:00)

(IRNA) - Government spokesman Gholam-Hossein Elham here Monday assessed the recent visit to Tehran of United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan as "positive."

Speaking to reporters at his weekly press conference, Elham said regional developments as well as the Iran nuclear issue were among topics discussed during Annan's talks with senior Iranian officials, reports Trend.

"Annan believes that the Iran nuclear standoff should be settled through negotiations. He, himself, signified willingness to put forward the case for negotiations to find a solution to the issue.

"Iran accepts the path of negotiations. We believe in talks and seek sustainable peace as well as tranquility and security" in the the international arena, he said.

He added that peace and security can only be sustainable realities when they are based on justice and a commitment to (international) rules and regulations."

Pointing to Iran's response to the package of incentives offered by the world's six powers (5+1 Group), the spokesman urged the group to remain focused on negotiations and reason as the only path to resolving the nuclear issue.

Iran on June 6 was offered a package of incentives by the five permanent members of the UN Security Council -- China, Russia, Britain, France and the United States -- plus Germany (Group 5+1) for it to suspend all uranium and reprocessing activities.

Details of Iran's response to the offer, presented by Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Larijani to ambassadors of the 5+1 Group as well as the Swiss envoy, who takes charge of US interests in Iran, on August 22, have not been divulged. Tehran, however, insists it will not suspend uranium enrichment before talks begin.

"Certain states, particularly the US, want to change the reasonable course of settling the nuclear case to suit their interests and this should be resisted by states," Elham further said.

Latest

Latest