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Iranian Spokesman: Stance on Nuclear Program Unchanged

05 July 2008

An Iranian technician works at the Isfahan Uranium Conversion Facilities (UCF), 420 kms south of Tehran (File)
An Iranian technician works at the Isfahan Uranium Conversion Facilities (UCF), 420 kms south of Tehran (File)
A government spokesman says Iran is ready to hold talks with world powers about its nuclear program.

But he also says Iran's position has not changed and that Tehran will not give up its right to enrich uranium.

The remarks Saturday by Gholamhossein Elham come one day after Iran submitted its official response to a package of incentives, drawn up by six world powers - Russia, China, France, Germany, Britain and the United States.

The six governments are offering Iran economic and trade benefits if it agrees to stop enriching uranium, a process that can be used to produce nuclear weapons.

There was no word on the content of Iran's reply, which was submitted to European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana in Brussels Friday.

Iran's state news agency (IRNA) quotes top nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili as saying Tehran prepared its response with a "constructive and creative attitude" and by focusing on common ground.

The United States and its allies accuse Iran of working to develop a nuclear weapon. Iran says its atomic program is for peaceful purposes.

Separately, Iran's state news agency says the head of the country's elite Revolutionary Guards has warned that Iran will consider military action against its nuclear facilities the start of a war. The agency quotes General Mohammad Ali Jafari as saying any country that attacks Iran will regret doing so.

Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.




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