Iran: Constructive Nuke Ideas Put Forth

10/24/2007

ROME (AP) - Constructive ideas that could yield progress over the impasse on Iran's nuclear program were introduced during talks this week with top Italian and European Union officials, Tehran's former top negotiator said Wednesday.

Ali Larijani was in Rome with Tehran's new top nuclear negotiator, Saeed Jalili, who was appointed over the weekend. Jalili did not speak at the appearance and questions were not taken.

Larijani met with Italian Premier Romano Prodi and the EU foreign policy chief, Javier Solana.

"In the last part of the talks with Mr. Prodi and Mr. Solana, ideas were introduced that were constructive and that might lead to further progress," Larijani said. He did not elaborate.

After Tuesday's session, both sides said more talks would likely be held by the end of November. The United States and its European allies are hoping to persuade Iran to suspend its uranium enrichment program, as demanded by the U.N. Security Council.

On Wednesday, the two Iranians held talks with Prodi, whose country is Iran's top trading partner in the EU and, as of this year, is on the Security Council as a non-permanent member. Solana joined them at the end.

Prodi said he had urged Tehran to comply with Security Council resolutions demanding a freeze on uranium enrichment.

"The two delegations have had an important, constructive session on Iran's nuclear dossier," he said. "Italy encourages this dialogue as the only instrument to find a solution."

The departure of Larijani as top nuclear negotiator was widely interpreted as a victory for hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, raising questions about whether Tehran had decided to take an even more defiant position in the standoff with the West.

While Wednesday's talks were under way in Rome, Ahmadinejad dismissed Security Council resolutions imposing sanctions on Iran as "worthless papers" and vowed his country won't give up its right to enrich uranium and produce nuclear fuel.

Larijani was considered more moderate than Ahmadinejad within Iran's hard-line camp and had reportedly differed with the president over how to approach nuclear talks.

Jalili, an Ahmadinejad loyalist, insisted that Tehran's line would not change, and he received the support of Larijani.

"Negotiation and cooperation is our basic approach," Jalili said. "The course that we'll continue will be the same trend that he (Larijani) has pursued in this period of time."

The United States and some of its allies accuse Iran of secretly trying to develop nuclear weapons and have demanded it halt uranium enrichment, a technology that can be used in both civilian and military programs. Tehran denies the claim, saying its program is for peaceful purposes, including generating electricity.

Iran's refusal to suspend uranium enrichment has led the Security Council to impose two sets of sanctions against Tehran.

The United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany, with EU support, agreed last month to delay until November any new U.N. resolution to toughen sanctions, giving Iran more time to cooperate with an investigation into past nuclear activities that is being conducted by U.N.'s nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Ahmadinejad has said he believed the nuclear issue was over. But he also said this month that the government was prepared to answer questions from the U.N. nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Speaking to reporters Tuesday, Larijani was dismissive of speculation about his resignation and alleged differences with Ahmadinejad. He said the replacement was just a matter of a generational change.

"The point is our country is a democracy, there is rotation and circulation of forces and powers," he said. "Jalili is a friend of mine, seven or eight years younger, energetic."