Nuke talks constructive: Iran IRAN'S chief nuclear negotiator said today that proposals offered to Iran from six world powers to end a nuclear stand-off had some positive points but also some "ambiguities" that had to be taken out. The incentives, which aim to defuse a stand-off over Iran's nuclear programme by persuading Tehran to halt uranium enrichment, were handed over by EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana. "The proposals had some positive steps in them and some ambiguities which should be removed," Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, said after meeting Solana. His comments were broadcast on state television as he stood next to Solana. Television did not broadcast any remarks by the EU foreign policy chief. "We hope, after we study the proposal in detail, we will have another round of talks and negotiations to achieve a balanced and logical conclusion," Mr Larijani said. The West accuses Iran of seeking to build atomic bombs, a charge Tehran denies. Iran in the past said it would not give up uranium enrichment, a process that has both civilian and military uses. "We had constructive negotiations," Mr Larijani said. "It is a framework for co-operation." The initiative was put together by the three biggest EU states  Britain, France and Germany  and then approved by the US, China and Russia. "We view the European countries' determination for resolving the issue through issue negotiation as a correct step and we welcome it," Mr Larijani said.
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The European Union's head diplomat Javier Solana has offered Iran a number of benefits to persuade the oil-rich state to drop some of its rights under Article IV.1 of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, i.e. stop an uranium enrichment program.

During the two hour meeting in the Iranian capital Solana is thought to have offered help to build Iran's nuclear generators and supply fuel for the northern Persian Gulf state's energy needs.

Azadi Square is currently the symbol of Tehran.

This main offer may have been accompanied by a number of sweeteners such as the offer of European Airbus airplanes and United States relaxation of the trade of Boeing aircraft parts with Iran.
 
The proposal the European emissary carried had previously been seen by Security Council powers United States, China, Britain, Russia, France and also Germany. Were Iran to reject the Solana offer the United Nations Security Council sanctions could be used to stop Iran's nuclear program.

"Larijani said Iran will study the package, clause by clause, and respond," said an unnamed official who knows Ali Larjani, Iran's chief nuclear negotiator.

However there were also some "ambiguities" to resolve, said Larjani himself.

Iran has noted several times that as party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), the country can enrich uranium for peaceful needs, such as for the production of electricity. 

But a move to enrich uranium on a larger-scale, such as a plan for 3,000 centrifuges by the end of 2006, might lead American officials to say Iran could have the potential to get a nuclear weapon within ten years.

While Iran's head of state, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei recently warned about the disruption of oil supplies if Iran was attacked, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is said to be considering the newest package on the table.

'We have two options - one is cooperation, the other is confrontation,' said the Iranian Foreign Minister Manuchehr Mottaki.