EU mulls response to Iran's nuclear talks offer

European nations gave a cautious response today to Iran’s offer to resume talks on its nuclear programme, restating their insistence that the Islamic republic meet demands set by the UN’s atomic monitoring agency to freeze activities linked to uranium enrichment.

“Iran’s got to face up to its responsibilities; it’s got to abide by the strictures and obligations of the atomic energy authority,” said British Prime Minister Tony Blair, in London.

France said it was open to resuming talks provided Iran abides by resolutions from the International Atomic Energy Agency. The nuclear watchdog called on Iran in September to suspend all activities related to uranium enrichment and give agency monitors access to research, experts, facilities and documents.

Foreign ministers from the 25 EU nations were debating a draft statement expressing support for a “diplomatic solution” to concerns over Iran’s nuclear programme, while repeating Iran has to comply with the IAEA’s demands.

It was unclear whether a draft of the EU statement leaked to reporters during the ministers’ meeting was prepared before Iran’s offer yesterday to resume talks.

British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said ahead of the meeting that the EU was preparing its formal reply.

Nuclear talks between the Europeans – led by Britain, France and Germany – and Iran collapsed in August after Tehran rejected an incentives package offered in return for a permanent end to uranium enrichment. Iran then resumed uranium conversion – an early stage in the nuclear fuel cycle that precedes enrichment - which it had suspended in 2004 under a deal with the Europeans.

Relations between EU and the Iranians further deteriorated after recent comments by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad calling for Israel to be “wiped off the map.”

The EU’s draft statement said the bloc “condemns in the strongest terms” Ahmadinejad’s comments. They also said Iran had to address their concerns over terrorism, the Middle East peace process and human rights to avoid “a deterioration” of relations.

Speaking in London, Blair said Iran’s support of terrorism was preventing political progress being made in the Middle East and elsewhere. “We know Iran supports terrorism around the Middle East. It should stop it; until it stops it, there will be a deep dismay about the Iranian regime right ‘round the world,” Blair told his monthly press conference.

In an apparent attempt to counter mounting international criticism, Iran’s top nuclear negotiator, Ali Larijani, yesterday called for a resumption of negotiations with Britain, Germany and France on Iran’s nuclear programme, according to the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency. Iran also let UN inspectors visit a sensitive military facility and vowed to boost relations with Iraq.

However, Larijani also reiterated Iran’s right to continue its nuclear activities in line with international treaties, such as the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. Iran says its nuclear programme is only meant to generate power and it has no aims to build nuclear weapons.

A Paris-based Iranian opposition group mobilised several thousand demonstrators outside EU headquarters to urge the ministers to take a tough line against Tehran’s human rights record and its nuclear programme.

The National Council of Resistance of Iran also urged the European Union to remove its primary member organisation, the People’s Mujahedeen, from the EU’s blacklist of terrorist organisations.