Solana Hopes for New Iran Nuclear Talks

European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana yesterday said he hopes within 90 days to resume discussions over Iran’s disputed nuclear activities with the nation’s top negotiator, Agence France-Presse reported (see GSN, March 13).

“I hope to be able to meet soon” with Saeed Jalili, Solana said at a conference in Brussels.  “Let’s see what is the [Iranian] response.”

Talks between EU and Iranian officials have stretched on for nearly two years.  Solana has offered political and economic benefits intended to persuade Tehran to halt uranium enrichment efforts.  Iran, though, has refused.

Two weeks ago, the U.N. Security Council imposed a third round of sanctions on Iran for refusing to suspend its uranium enrichment program, which Western powers suspect is aimed at nuclear weapons development.  The resolution calls for a review of progress in resolving the standoff 90 days after its enactment.

Iranian government spokesman Gholam Hossein Elham on Saturday ruled out the possibility of additional negotiations, saying that “the issue of nuclear talks” with the five permanent Security Council member nations and Germany “is over” (Agence France-Presse I/Google News, March 16).

“We will continue our path within the framework of the International Atomic Energy Agency as this is the only legal body for this issue,” he added, reiterating Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s statement in early March that Tehran would only discuss its nuclear program with the U.N. nuclear watchdog (see GSN, March 5; Agence France-Presse II/Spacewar.com, March 15).

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