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Iran's Foreign Minister Says Iran Ready to Negotiate Nuclear Incentives


Iran says it is ready to negotiate a new international package of incentives aimed at persuading Tehran to halt its disputed nuclear program.

Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki during a visit to Uganda Thursday said the package put forward by six major world powers is currently under consideration. He said Iran has informed the six nations, Russia, China, France, Germany, Britain and the United States, of its readiness to negotiate, and will respond to the package at "an appropriate time."

European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana presented the package of economic and trade incentives to Iranian officials Saturday.

Iranian officials have repeatedly said they will not accept a package that requires Iran to stop uranium enrichment.

Separately today, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad accused people whom he called Iran's "enemies" of planning to kidnap and assassinate him during his visit to Iraq earlier this year. He did not elaborate or say how Tehran learned of the alleged plot.

Iranian leaders have used the term "enemies" in the past to refer to Western nations and the United States in particular.

State media quoted the Iranian leader as saying the plot was never carried out because of a change in his schedule. There has been no comment from U.S. officials on the alleged plot.

State media also quoted Mr. Ahmadinejad today as accusing Western powers of bullying Tehran. Media reports said Mr. Ahmadinejad told clerics in a speech in the city of Qom today that the West will face humiliation in its latest effort to prevent Iran from developing its nuclear program.

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

Iran is under three sets of limited United Nations Security Council sanctions for defying demands to stop enriching uranium.

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


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