Iran says will confer with EU's Solana within days

TEHRAN, July 12: Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani today said Tehran would confer with EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana in the coming days, trying to save atomic talks dismissed as ''disappointing'' by the Europeans.

The United States, France, Germany, Britain, Russia and China want Iran to accept a package of technical and commercial incentives if it agrees to stop producing enriched uranium, which Washington says Tehran will use in nuclear warheads.

However, there is little sign of a breakthrough with Iran insisting on its right to make atomic fuel, which it argues it needs only to run power stations. The diplomatic frustration is ratcheting up pressure for U N Security Council action.

Larijani met Solana in Brussels yesterday to push the deal forward but talks got nowhere with Iran complaining that all its questions had not been answered. The European Union rejected this and described the talks as disappointing.

''Various issues were brought up in the talks, about which Mr Solana has to do some necessary consultations with his friends and we will follow the case with him in the coming days,'' Larijani told Iranian state television in Damascus.

Washington and the European Union have strongly criticised Iran for taking too long to reply to the atomic incentives package. Iran has given itself until August 22 to reply, but insists this is a loose guideline and not a deadline.

Diplomats see the incentives package as a last-ditch attempt to head off a crisis before more concerted U N action such as political or economic sanctions against Iran.

Israel and the United States have consistently declined to rule out military strikes against Iran's atomic facilities.

REUTERS