AFP: The European Union will offer Iran a package of measures in early August to encourage Tehran to respect its nuclear commitments once its new president has been sworn in, an EU official said on Tuesday. The package, which basically offers trade incentives to Iran for concessions on its nuclear ambitions, will probably be presented in the first week of the month, after hardliner Mahmood Ahmadinejad takes office on August 3. AFP
BRUSSELS – The European Union will offer Iran a package of measures in early August to encourage Tehran to respect its nuclear commitments once its new president has been sworn in, an EU official said on Tuesday.
The package, which basically offers trade incentives to Iran for concessions on its nuclear ambitions, will probably be presented in the first week of the month, after hardliner Mahmood Ahmadinejad takes office on August 3.
“Then we have to hear the reaction,” the official said. “We cannot call for a round of talks (with Iran) before the package has been presented.”
The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said talks would not take place until several weeks after the package is offered.
Iran’s position on its nuclear policy has been unclear since Ahmadinejad was elected president in June. Tehran insists that its nuclear program is purely peaceful despite US claims it is seeking atomic weapons.
The package, based on an agreement reached between Iran and the so-called EU3 of Britain, France and Germany, has three key elements: nuclear issues, political and security issues, and economic and technological cooperation.
The official said the bulk of the offer had already been shown to EU foreign ministers and was almost completed, but would provide no details on what it contained.
According to an Iranian nuclear negotiator, Tehran has called on the EU to let it resume some of its sensitive nuclear work to prevent the talks collapsing.
