New York Times: The United States, Russia, China and three leading nations of Europe announced an agreement Thursday on a package of incentives intended to resolve the nuclear crisis with Iran, shelving any punitive action by the Security Council until Iran has time to respond to the proposals.

New York Times: Iranian officials on Thursday uniformly dismissed Washington’s offer to engage in direct talks on the condition that they first suspend all uranium enrichment, yet they could not hide their satisfaction that the offer had been made at all.

Reuters: Major world powers struck what a senior U.S. official called a “substantial agreement” on Thursday on a package of incentives for Iran to halt sensitive nuclear fuel work as well as penalties if it did not.

Reuters: Major power talks on Iran’s nuclear program are heading toward an accord on a “carrots and sticks” package to be offered to Tehran, an EU diplomat said on Thursday.

Reuters: The White House urged Iran on Thursday to take several days to carefully consider a U.S. offer of talks on its nuclear program, despite Tehran’s rejection of a U.S. condition it stop enriching uranium first.

AP: President Bush said Thursday that the standoff over Iran’s suspected nuclear program is headed for the U.N. Security Council if Tehran continues with uranium enrichment.

Iran Focus: Tehran, Iran, Jun. 01 – Iranian officials said on Thursday that the United States had to lift its preconditions before they were willing to accept the offer by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to take part in direct talks with the U.S. over Tehran’s sensitive nuclear activities.