Iran delivers nuclear response to west
John Bolton says sanctions against Iran have not been ruled out
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Tuesday, 22, Aug 2006 07:42
Iran has met its self-imposed deadline to give a formal response to a western incentive package calling for an end to its controversial uranium enrichment programme.
According to state-run TV, the country's chief nuclear aide, Ali Larijani, hand-delivered the response to diplomats in Tehran, but the details are not yet apparent.
However, the country's supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, yesterday gave a clear indication that the incentives would largely be rejected, as Iran insists its uranium enrichment is being used solely for civilian energy purposes.
The five permanent members of the UN security council and Germany demanded earlier this summer that the Middle East country, the world's fourth largest oil producer, immediately halt its nuclear activities, amid concerns it was developing nuclear weapons.
In return, the US, UK, China, Russia, France and Germany, said they would offer a series of incentives such as economic benefits and help with its nuclear energy research.
Iran has previously said its reply to the western package would be "multi-dimensional", but UN diplomats have predicted it would be "ambiguous".
Although the US, UK and France have said they believe stringent diplomatic and economic sanctions are the only way to force Iran to comply, Chinese and Russian diplomats have consistently been opposed to such measures.
Washington, which has no diplomatic relations with Iran, has also not ruled out taking military action.
Ahead of Iran's decision today, the US ambassador to the UN, John Bolton, said the response "should constitute the definitive answer".
"We will see whether they are now prepared to abide by their obligations and convince the world that their intentions are peaceful," he said.
Mr Bolton added: "We will consider the Iranian response carefully.but we are prepared to proceed with sanctions [if necessary]."