By Country / Iran
Iran Ready To Settle Nuclear Standoff, Tehran Says
February 24, 2006
Iranian Foreign Minister Mottaki (file photo) (Photolur)
24 February 2006 -- Iran's foreign minister says his country is ready for further negotiations to settle a standoff over its nuclear program.
But Manuchehr Mottaki told reporters in Thailand on 24 February that Iran reserves the right to develop nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.
His comments come at a time when top officials from Russia and China -- Sergei Kiriyenko, head of Russia's atomic energy agency, and Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister Lu Guozeng -- are in Tehran for nuclear talks.
Moscow has proposed enriching uranium for Iran in Russia, in an attempt to assuage Western fears Iranians could divert enriched uranium for nuclear weapons.
Such a deal could avert UN sanctions.
(AP)