Reuters: Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator deflected Western pressure for an answer on Tuesday to a package of incentives to suspend uranium enrichment ahead of crucial talks with the European Union.

Washington Post: The Bush administration is poised to press the U.N. Security Council to begin the process of imposing punitive action against Iran, after signals over the weekend that Tehran will not provide the straightforward acceptance or rejection today of a U.S.-backed proposal designed to prevent it from developing a nuclear weapon, U.S. and European officials said yesterday.

Reuters: The European Union will push Iran on Tuesday to respond to an offer of incentives to halt uranium enrichment in a new encounter just days before a key G8 deadline, but Tehran insists it wants more time.

DPA: German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier appealed in an interview released Saturday for Iran not to turn down an offer by the five UN Security Council permanent members and Germany to negotiate.

Reuters: Iran will not give its final answer at a meeting this week to a package of proposals backed by six world powers that aims to end a nuclear standoff with the West, an Iranian nuclear official said on Monday.