Iran Rejects Nuke Deal, Offers Alternative

Iran rejects nuke deal, offers alternative

http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/Ir...tive_0822.html

Published: Tuesday August 22, 2006

Iran rejected a deal on its uranium enrichment program backed by the US and other global powers today, RAW STORY has learned. But its rejection was not outright.

A report from the Iranian TV channel Al Alam suggested that the response delivered by Iranian Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Larjiani to representatives of the offering governments rejected a suspension of Iran's uranium enrichment programs. Iran claims that its uranium program is for peaceful civilian nuclear energy, but many fear that it will provide cover for an illegal nuclear weapons program.

In spite of the rejection, Iran has apparently offered "a new formula to resolve the issue through negotiations," according to Al Alam.

The story can be accessed at Al Alam's website, and is provided in full below.

#

Iran reportedly issued its nuclear response to the European Union-led offer of proposals a few minutes ago, reported Fars news agency.

Ali Larijani, secretary of Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), informed the ambassadors to Tehran of Britain, France, Germany, China, Russia and Switzerland of Tehran's answer in a meeting held at SNSC Secretariat.

The SNSC secretary also discussed the response in detail during the meeting, which is still going on.

Initial reports indicate that Iran has rejected suspension of its nuclear fuel activity, Fars said. Instead, the Islamic Republic has come up with a new formula to resolve the issue through negotiations, the news agency added.

Western sources have also predicted that Iran is likely today to formally reject the offer, which is aimed at persuading it to halt uranium enrichment.

The UN Security Council gave Iran until Aug. 31 to accept a proposal for trade and commercial nuclear benefits or face sanctions whose specifics and strength are not clear.

Iran has reiterated on several occasions that it will not allow any one to deprive it of its 'inalienable' right to peaceful nuclear technology.