TEHRAN, 18 June 2006 — Iran yesterday denied the existence of any contradiction in its reactions to an international nuclear proposal, saying the offer of incentives in return for a suspension of sensitive atomic work was still being examined. “Our stance regarding the 5+1 package is quite clear,” Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said of the proposal from the five permanent Security Council members — Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States — plus Germany.
“The Islamic republic’s officials have said this is a positive step forward. The opinions of both sides must be examined. We will seriously and carefully study the 5+1’s views and will inform them of our suggestions as a response,” he asserted.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad took a conciliatory line Friday over the June 6 offer by the six world powers, saying: “We regard the offer of a package as a step forward and I have instructed my colleagues to carefully consider it.” But his comments came a day after Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei struck a harder tone when he said the Islamic regime would not bow to pressure — implicitly rejecting international calls to suspend uranium enrichment.
Mottaki asserted “there is no conflict in the statements made by the Islamic republic’s officials.” “We have been advised by people like (UN Secretary-General) Kofi Annan not to be hasty in giving a response. We will respond whenever a thorough examination is completed and a response is ready,” he told reporters.
