Nuclear Crisis

[donsaeid]

[Rasputin]

گزارش شده است که نخست وزير اسرائيل با يکی از اعضای خاندان سلطنتی عربستان سعودی ديدار و از جمله در باره بحران هسته ای ايران با وی گفتگو کرده است.
روزنامه اسرائيلی يديوت آهرونوت در شماره روز دوشنبه، 25 سپتامبر، گزارش کرده است که اهود اولمرت، نخست وزير اسرائيل، دوازده روز پيش با يک عضو ارشد خاندان سعودی ديدار کرد و برنامه هسته ای ايران و طرح سعودی برای صلح خاورميانه مورد مذاکره دو طرف قرار گرفت.

طرح عربستان سعودی در سال 2002 ارايه شد و مورد تاييد کشورهای عرب قرار گرفت و هفته گذشته، آقای اولمرت در مصاحبه با همين روزنامه اسرائيلی حمايت خود از اقدامات عربستان را "که به صورت علنی يا غير آن صورت گرفته است" اعلام داشت.

براساس طرح سعودی، کشورهای عرب در برابر توافق اسرائيل برای خروج از تمامی سرزمين های اشغالی در جريان جنگ 1967 اعراب و اسرائيل و حل بحران فلسطين از طريق مذاکره، کشور اسرائيل را به رسميت خواهند شناخت.

آريل شارون، نخست وزير سابق اسرائيل، اين طرح را در زمان ارايه آن رد کرد.

عربستان سعودی و اسرائيل دارای روابط رسمی سياسی نيستند.

آقای اولمرت در مصاحبه با يديوت آهرونوت ملاقات با پادشاه سعودی را صراحتا تکذيب کرد اما از پاسخ به سئوالی در باره ديدار با يک مقام ارشد سعودی خودداری ورزيد و گفت که اجباری ندارد به همه سئوالات پاسخ دهد.

در عين حال، وی از آنچه که "خردمندی و احساس مسئوليت" ملک عبدالله، پادشاه سعودی می خواند، ستايش به عمل آورد.

يک منبع دولتی اسرائيل نيز به خبرگزاری آسوشيتدپرس گفته است که نخست وزير اين کشور قطعا با پادشاه سعودی ملاقاتی نداشته اما در مورد ملاقات با عضو ديگری از خاندان سلطنتی اظهار نظر نکرده است.

شايعه ملاقات يک مقام عاليرتبه سعودی با نخست وزير اسرائيل انعکاس گسترده ای در رسانه های همگانی اسرائيل داشته است.

از قول راديو ارتش اسرائيل گزارش شده است که اين ملاقات در روز 13 سپتامبر و در کاخ سلطنتی در رياض، پايتخت عربستان، صورت گرفت.

در گذشته، مقامات سعودی شايعات مربوط به ملاقات با اسرائيليان را به سرعت تکذيب می کردند اما در مورد خبر اخير روزنامه اسرائيلی واکنشی نشان نداده اند.

به نوشته روزنامه اسرائيلی، ملاقات آقای اولمرت و عضو ارشد خاندان سلطنتی سعودی با آگاهی و حمايت آمريکا صورت گرفت.

در صورتی که خبر روزنامه يديوت آهرنوت صحت داشته باشد، ملاقات 13 سپتامبر نخستين تماس اسرائيل و عربستان سعودی در رده بالای حکومتی است.

[Rasputin]

تايمز: شبح اتمی بر فراز خاورميانه
آغاز رقابت اتمی تركيه و مصر با ايران




تايمز لندن، د رتفسيری پيرامون فعاليت های اتمی ايران و تحت عنوان "شبح اتمی بر فراز منطقه خاورميانه" نوشت:

شبح اتمی بر خاورميانه سايه افكنده است. در پی ايران، مصر و تركيه نيز تلاش برای ايجاد نيروگاه اتمی را تشديد كرده اند. حسنی مبارك، رئيس حكومت مصر به اعضای حزب حاكم مصر گفت كه وقت آن است مصر در برنامه صلحآميز هستهای سرمايه گذاری كند. مصر دو رآكتور تحقيقات اتمی دارد، و مقامات مصر تاكيد كردهاند كه از اين تحقيقات قصدشان توليد برق اتمی است، نه ساختن بمب اتمی. يكی از بزرگترين خطرات دستيابی ايران به بمب اتمی، به راه افتادن رقابت بر سر توليد بمب اتمی در كشورهای منطقه، به ويژه مصر، تركيه، و عربستان سعودی است.

[Rasputin]

كاسه ای زير نيم كاسه
ايرانيها هم مثل مردم جهان، از
شريعتمداری اتمی وحشت دارند
احمد زيد آبادی- راديو زمانه




آنچه كه جمهوری اسلامی خود اعلام می كند، اينست كه ما ميخواهيم يك چرخه سوخت هستهای داشته باشيم، جهت استفاده در راكتورهای اتمی ايران. اين بدان معناست كه ايران نگاهی اقتصادی به موضوع هستهای دارد. هر موضوع اقتصادی بر اساس اصل هزينه و فايده بررسی ميشود.

اگر شما تصميم بگيريد كه ۱۰۰۰ تومان به دست بياوريد و شخص ثالثی اعلام كند كه در ازای آن به شما ۱۰۰۰۰ تومان ضرر ميزند، قطعا بايد از آن ۱۰۰۰ تومان صرف نظر كنيد. پافشاری ايران بر ادامه غنی سازی، به هرقيمتی، كارشناسان را متقاعد كرده است كه هدف تنها اقتصادی نيست و حتی اگر درفكر ساختن بمب اتم هم نباشند، ميخواهند خود را در موقعيتی قرار دهند كه امكان ساخت را داشته باشند. چرا كه در صورت داشتن چرخه كامل سوخت هستهای، داشتن و نداشتن بمب به يك تصميم سياسی بسته است.

شايد ايران بدنبال داشتن فناوری هستهای باشد، به عنوان نيروی بازدارنده در برابر فشار غرب. همچنين ايران فكرميكند كه چون كشوری است كه به دليل شرايط موجود نمی تواند خود را با نظم جهانی سازگار كند , لذا امكان هدف قرارگرفتنش وجود دارد .



اين استدلال كه غربی ها به ما زور می گويند و چون ما نمی خواهيم زير بار زور برويم به سمت اتمی شدن می رويم نيز غلط است. چرا كه انسان عاقل زير بار زور هم ميرود. بايد ميزان زوری كه قرار است وارد شود را سنجيد و سپس تصميم گيری كرد.

ما شبانه روز زير بار زور ميرويم، خود مان زير بار زور حكومت هستيم , هر روز حق ما پايمال ميشود، ما را از همه چيز محروم كرده اند، آيا در جواب بايد دست به هر كاری بزنيم؟ خير، محاسبه ميكنيم، يكسری كارها را انجام ميدهيم و يك سری را انجام نميدهيم. در عرصه جهانی هم به همين صورت است.

در نهايت، اصراری كه دولت ايران بر ادامه غنی سازی دارد، هم هويت ايران را در عرصه جهانی به خطر مياندازد و هم كارشناسان را متقاعد ميكند كه كاسهای زير نيم كاسه هست.



درباره اين استدلال كه اسرائيل و هند و پاكستان هم اتمی هستند و ايران نيز برای بقای خود نيازمند اتمی شدن است، بايد گفت: پاكستان و هند، دو قدرت رقيب منطقهای هستند با اختلاف طولانی در موضوع كشمير كه همديگر را خنثی ميكنند. در كنار آنها افغانستان، بنگلادش، عمان و .... هم هستند، ولی آنها احساس خطر نميكنند. پس ايران در ارتباط با اين دو نگرانی ندارد، چرا كه نه اختلاف ارضی وجود دارد نه اصلا رقيب منطقهای به حساب ميآيند.

اسرائيل به فاصله 2 كشور از ما قرار دارد، قدرت اتمی خود را زمانی به دست آورده كه اصلا جمهوری اسلامی وجود نداشته است. همچنين ادعا ميكند، روزی كه از جانب همسايگان به رسميت شناخته شود، وارد يك روند خلع سلاح خواهد شد و در ابتدا به ساكن هم هيچ خصومتی با تماميت ارضی ايران ندارد، چون در دوره شاه هم اين كشور وجود داشته و با هم دوست هم بودند. لذا اسرائيل ميگويد كه ايران ابتدا به ساكن با من دشمن است. اساسا چه رقابتی بين ايران كه در كنار خليج فارس هست با اسرائيلی كه دركنار مديترانه هست وجود دارد؟

اين دو كشور را نميتوان رقيب هم دانست، مگر آنكه يكی اصرار بر اين داشته باشد و گرنه واقعيات ژئوپولتيكی و منافع دو كشور، چنين موضوعی را ايجاب نميكند.

روسيه نيز از دهه ۱۹۵۰ سلاح اتمی دارد و ايران هرگز نميتواند خود را با آنها مقايسه كند.

حالا، بحث اصلی اين است كه اگر ايران به سلاح اتمی دست پيدا كند، فردا عربستان سعودی هم مدعی ميشود، بعد نوبت به امارات ميرسد و يا تركيه، مصر و... بعد از آن ديگر نميشود در منطقه زندگی كرد.

بدين ترتيب و برخلاف برخی تصورات، سلاح اتمی گاهی باعث كاهش قدرت ملی نيز ميشود. نمونه بارز آن هند و پاكستان هستند. هند كشوری است با يك ميليارد و چند صد ميليون نفر جمعيت، دارای دموكراسی پيشرفته، در بعضی حوزههای صنعتی پيشرفته و نيروهای تحصيل كرده فراوان. در كنارش پاكستان، كشوری عقب مانده. زمانی كه اين دو اتمی نبودند در هر جنگ احتمالی، طرف پيروز، بی شك هند بود.

هند به سمت اتمی شدن رفت و بلافاصله پاكستان هم در همين زمينه اقدام كرد. امروز هر دو با توجه به داشتن سلاح اتمی تبديل به قدرتی برابر شده اند. حالا بايد به اين سئوال انديشيد كه اتمی شدن اشتباه بزرگ هند نبود؟

ايران در منطقه از نظر وسعت جغرافيايی، ميزان نيروهای تحصيل كرده، منابع زير زمينی و در كل پيشرفتهايی كه جامعه ايرانی نسبت به همسايگانش دارد، قدرت برتر است. اما فرض كنيم كه همين امارات كه با ما بر سر ۳ جزيره اختلاف دارد، در صورت اتمی شدن ما، اگر به جمع باشگاه اتمی بپيوندد، قدرتش همطراز با ما نخواهد شد؟

پس اگر اين منطق كه «چون ديگران دارند، ما هم بايد داشته باشيم» به همه كشورهای جهان سرايت كند، بايد ۱۹۲ كشور اتمی داشته باشيم. هر لحظه هم كه از دست هم خشمگين بشوند، يكديگررا تهديد اتمی بكنند.

البته كشورهايی كه اتمی هستند به اين راحتی از آن استفاده نميكنند، اما فرض كنيد كه در اينجا آقای حسين شريعتمداری به زرادخانه اتمی هم متكی باشد. همين حالا هم هر روز هر مخالف و دگرانديشی را تهديد ميكند، دنيا را هم تهديد ميكند. داشتن سلاح اتمی يك ظرفيتی ميخواهد، كه متاسفانه اين سيستم حاكم فاقد آن ظرفيت است و شايد، اگر اين ظرفيت موجود بود، آن قدر حساسيت جهانی بر نرانگيخته نمی شد.

آنها كه با نداشتن چنين سلاحی روزانه همه را تهديد ميكنند، طبيعی است كه جهان نگاهی نامطمئن به آن ها داشته باشد. شايد اگر ما خود نيز ايرانی نبوديم و در منطقه زندگی ميكرديم، همين ترس را داشتيم.

[Rasputin]

Plans announced recently by Egypt and Turkey that they hope to build nuclear power plants are raising a ripple of concern about the long-term prospect of a nuclear arms race in the Middle East.

"It is easy to exaggerate and it is true that these countries have a right to seek all sources of energy but it is indisputable that there is also a strategic element to this," said Mark Fitzpatrick, senior fellow in non-proliferation at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London.

One of the dangers of Iran going nuclear has always been that it might provoke others. So when you see the development of nuclear power elsewhere in the region, it does raise concerns

Mark Fitzpatrick

"Having a nuclear infrastructure is the step which a country needs to accomplish if it decides to embark on the path of nuclear weapons. Pakistan took that route," he said.

According to this theory, Egypt and Turkey are worried at the failure of the United Nations to stop Iran from enriching uranium. They consider they might be left behind if Iran, despite its denials, does one day develop as a nuclear armed power.

They are therefore taking preliminary steps to protect themselves from a security point of view as well as an energy one.

"One of the dangers of Iran going nuclear has always been that it might provoke others. So when you see the development of nuclear power elsewhere in the region, it does raise concerns," said Mark Fitzpatrick.

Case for nuclear power

On the other hand, Western concerns might be seen in the Middle East as another example of advanced countries, which freely use nuclear energy and some of which have nuclear weapons, trying to hold others back.

Turkey has a good energy case for going ahead with the three plants it plans to build by 2015.

According to the CIA World Factbook, Turkey is estimated to produce 50,000 barrels of oil per day yet it consumes 700,000 barrels per day.

Egypt is oil-richer. It has reserves of some 2.7 billion barrels, according to the CIA, produces 700,000 barrels per day and is estimated to consume about 500,000 per day. It has announced plans to build one nuclear power station.

The proposal was announced by Gamal Mubarak, President Hosni Mubarak's son, and his central role in this is being taken as a sign that Gamal intends to run for the presidency after his father.

Both Turkey and Egypt have also signed up to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). This bans the further spread of nuclear weapons among member states.

Both could also argue that in a world worried about the use of fossil fuels, nuclear energy is an environmentally friendly option.

However, energy is not the only factor a country takes into account when developing nuclear energy.

There are the issues of prestige and the opportunity for domestic scientific development. Both have been played up by Iran which has managed to turn its nuclear ambition into a symbol of national ambition and progress.

Not seeking to enrich uranium

One factor calming down the strategic fears is that neither Egypt nor Turkey is talking, as Iran is, about developing an indigenous uranium enrichment capability.

No-one should simply assume that Israel would stay where it is now with its ambiguous capability if Iran becomes a nuclear power. Israeli policy is likely to change, in order to demonstrate that the country has continued strategic superiority

Professor Gerald Steinberg, Bar-Ilan University

Enriched uranium is used for the generation of nuclear power. But the same process can enrich uranium more highly and that can be used in a nuclear bomb.

Enriched uranium is widely available on the world market. Iran's insistence that it needs to carry out the enrichment itself is one of the factors behind Security Council demands that Iran suspend enrichment while talks take place on its whole programme.

Israel's possession of nuclear weapons has often prompted similar fears of a nuclear arms race. Egypt has called for a nuclear weapons-free Middle East.

However, the prospects for that appear to be further away than ever. Israel regards Iran as its principal strategic threat.

It has a policy of neither confirming nor denying its nuclear weapons capacity, saying only that it will not be the first to "introduce nuclear weapons" into the region. That ambiguous approach is going to be strained if it concludes that Iran is going for the bomb.

"No one should simply assume that Israel would stay where it is now with its ambiguous capability if Iran becomes a nuclear power," Professor Gerald Steinberg, head of the Conflict Management Programme at Bar-Ilan University near Tel Aviv told Reuters recently.

"Israeli policy is likely to change, in order to demonstrate that the country has continued strategic superiority," he said.

[Rasputin]

PARIS (Reuters) - France said on Sunday that EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana and Iran had weeks rather than months to agree an agenda for talks on Tehran's nuclear program before world powers unite against Iran.

Asked by LCI television how much time Solana had to reach such a deal with Iranian chief nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani, French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy said: "In the coming weeks," and added: "That is not months."

Iran says it only wants to generate electricity but Western countries suspect it wants to build an atomic bomb under the cover of a civilian nuclear program.

Douste-Blazy said Solana met Larijani a few days ago.

"Mr Solana considered that this discussion was constructive and for the first time the question of suspension was raised."

A French Foreign Ministry spokesman, however, said there had been no new meeting and Douste-Blazy was referring to a meeting between Solana and Larijani in Vienna two weeks ago, which Solana described as "productive."

"There has not been a new meeting," the spokesman said.

The two men were due to meet again on September 14 but their meeting was postponed. Neither the French Foreign Ministry nor Solana's office were immediately available for comment.

French President Jacques Chirac said on Saturday he was optimistic a negotiated solution could be found to the standoff over Iran's plans for nuclear development.

"We should do everything to find a solution via dialogue, which is always the best way to resolve problems," he said.

"I am relatively optimistic, because it's in my nature, on the result of the discussions that are taking place between the six and Iran."

The United States, France, Russia, China, Britain and Germany offered Iran a package of incentives in June aimed at persuading Tehran to abandon technology that could be used to make a nuclear weapon.

DIALOGUE SHOULD BE FAVOURED

Suspending uranium enrichment, a process of purifying uranium for use as fuel in nuclear power plants or atomic weapons, is a precondition for talks on the package.

Major powers disagree on what sanctions would be imposed if Iran fails to halt enrichment as the U.N. Security Council has demanded. Iran has so far ignored an August 31 U.N. Security Council deadline to suspend enrichment.

Douste-Blazy, however, said Washington and Paris agreed completely on how to deal with Iran.

"(There is) a total convergence of views on two current subjects: Lebanon and Iran," he said.

He said dialogue with Tehran should be favored until it was clear whether Iran would reject the offer presented to it.

"We must do everything to be sure that on the Iranian side it will be a 'no'. If there is a 'no', I tell you today on this microphone, there will obviously be a new dynamic at the Security Council," he said.

"We have warned the Iranians that they will be totally isolated from the international community but above all the Chinese, the Russians, the Americans, the Europeans will be together."

[Rasputin]

[Rasputin]

صداى آلمان:خبرگزارى رويترز از واشنگتن به نقل از گزارش امروز روزنامهى آمريكايى ”واشنگتن تايمز“ گزارش داد: ايران آماده است تا غنىسازى اورانيوم را به منظور ازسرگرفتن مذاكره با اروپا متوقف سازد. روزنامهى نامبرده در ادامه با استناد به اظهارات محافل دولتى آمريكا مىنويسد كه توافق در اين باره ممكن است امروز يا فردا چهارشنبه صورت گيرد. در گزارش فوق همچنين آمده كه جمهورى اسلامى مىخواهد اين موضوع پنهان بماند. به موجب اين گزارش، ايران اعلام آمادگى كرده تا به منظور آغاز مجدد گفتگوها با مقامات اروپايى غنىسازى اورانيوم را بمدت ۹۰ روز متوقف سازد. در عين حال ممكن است، امروز سهشنبه يا فردا چهارشنبه خاوير سولانا مسئول سياست خارجى اتحاديه اروپا با على لاريجانى سرپرست هيأت مذاكرهكنندگان ايرانى ديدار كند.

سخنگوى وزارت امور خارجهى آمريكا در گفتگو با روزنامهى ”واشنگتن تايمز“ گفت، شرايط شوراى امنيت براى ادامهى مذاكره با ايران روشن است، ايران بايد غنىسازى اورانيوم را بصورت قابل اثبات متوقف سازد، اگر اين كار را بكند، ما گفتگوها را آغاز خواهيم كرد و اگر اين اقدام را نكند با تحريم مواجه خواهد شد.

[Rasputin]

Iran reactor launch date agreed

Russia and Iran have signed a deal in Moscow to launch Iran's nuclear reactor at Bushehr in September next year, officials in Moscow say.
They say the Russian-built reactor will be fully operational in November 2007.

Iran had feared Russia would delay the launch because of international tension over Iran's nuclear activities, correspondents say.

The UN Security Council has told Iran to halt uranium enrichment amid fears it is trying to build nuclear arms.

Russian atomic energy agency spokesman Sergey Novikov said the date was fixed in an additional agreement to the original contract to build the reactor.

It came after Iranian officials apparently urged their Russian counterparts to speed up work to finish the plant.

'Compromise possible'

Russian Security Council Chairman Igor Ivanov, quoted by Itar-Tass news agency, said Moscow would stand by its commitments.

After a meeting with visiting Iranian Vice-President Gholamreza Agazadeh, Mr Ivanov said the nuclear crisis could be solved by negotiation.

A compromise could be found which would recognise Tehran's right to develop nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, but which also addressed the concerns of the international community, he said.

The US wants UN sanctions against Iran over its failure to meet a 31 August deadline to stop enriching uranium.

Western powers accuse Iran of trying covertly to develop a nuclear bomb.

Iran maintains it has a right to a nuclear programme which, it says, is purely for civilian purposes.

[Rasputin]

EU-Iran nuke talks to go ahead on Wednesday

TEHRAN: Talks between Iran's top nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani and EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana are to go-ahead on Wednesday in a European country, the Iranian foreign minister said, expressing optimism over the outcome.

The comments by Manouchehr Mottaki represented the first official confirmation that the meeting was going ahead on Wednesday, after diplomats in Europe said the date had only been tentatively fixed.

"The third round of talks between Solana and Larijani was supposed to be held on Wednesday in New York but due to visa problems for Mr Larijani it will be held in one of the European countries," he was quoted as saying by state television.

"Since there is an atmosphere of understanding between Iran and Europe, we can be optimistic on the results of the meeting," he added, just before leaving New York where he has held talks at the United Nations.

[donsaeid]

[donsaeid]

[donsaeid]

[Rasputin]

Crunch Iran-EU nuclear talks to start in Berlin

BERLIN (AFP) - Iran's top nuclear negotiator was to hold crunch talks with the EU's foreign policy chief in a final chance for the Islamic republic to agree to a nuclear deal offered by world powers.

The German government said the talks would begin Wednesday at 5:00 pm (1500 GMT), but did not disclose the location.

"This meeting is part of our efforts to find a diplomatic solution," German foreign ministry spokesman Martin Jaeger said.

Solana's spokeswoman and an Iranian source close to the negotiations also confirmed the meeting would take place.

"Mr Ali Larijani is in Berlin with his delegation to meet Mr Solana," the Iranian source told AFP.

Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said earlier that the talks had been supposed to take place in New York but were switched to Europe because Larijani had visa problems.

The discussions have been billed as a last opportunity for Iran to agree to a suspension of sensitive uranium enrichment activities as demanded by the UN Security Council and stave off the threat of UN sanctions.

Mottaki struck an upbeat note ahead of the talks.

"Since there is an atmosphere of understanding between Iran and Europe, we can be optimistic on the results of the meeting," he was quoted as saying by state television.

The deal offered by the five permanent Security Council members plus Germany asks Iran to accept a package of incentives in exchange for it freezing enrichment work the West fears could be channelled into producing nuclear arms.

The official news agency IRNA said Larijani could also use the occasion to meet German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier but Steinmeier's ministry said he would not take part in the meeting.

Key to the success of Wednesday's talks is the question of whether Iran is prepared to suspend uranium enrichment for a limited period of time before or even during full negotiations with world powers.

However there was confusion over whether Iran is considering such a step. European diplomats said Larijani made an offer at his last talks with Solana on September 9-10 in Vienna, but several Iranian officials have denied any suspension is on the cards.

"Such issues will not be addressed in the next negotiations," Atomic Energy Organization deputy head Mohammad Saeedi told the Iranian student news agency ISNA on Tuesday.

But the Washington Times also reported Tuesday that Iran was close to agreeing to a secret deal that would see it suspend uranium enrichment for 90 days in order for additional talks to take place with European nations.

The US State Department spokesman meanwhile spoke of "hopeful" signs from Iran but warned sanctions were still on tap if diplomacy failed.

The repeated delays for the latest Larijani-Solana meeting appear to reflect intense diplomatic efforts to ensure the nuclear dossier does not go to the Security Council.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad meanwhile again hit out at the West for what he described as its failure to allow Iran access to peaceful nuclear technology.

"Today the people will not accept that some countries have warehouses full of nuclear weapons and then tell others that you cannot have a (nuclear) fuel cycle since you may deviate," he said in a speech.

Iran's uranium enrichment is particularly controversial as it can be used to make fuel for a nuclear power station but in highly enriched form can also be employed to make the explosive core of a nuclear bomb.

Iran insists that its nuclear program is solely for peaceful energy needs, vehemently rejecting US allegations that it is seeking to manufacture nuclear weapons.

The negotiations were given a last chance after Washington, under pressure from Europe and China, backed down on its demand for immediate sanctions against Iran for failing to meet an August 31 UN deadline to freeze enrichment.

According to European diplomats, Western powers have set the start of October as a final deadline for Iran to give its definitive response to the Security Council offer.

[Rasputin]

'Final chance' Iran-EU nuclear talks to continue on Thursday

BERLIN (AFP) - Top Iranian nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani and European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana will on Thursday continue talks billed as a final chance for the Islamic republic to agree to a nuclear deal offered by world powers.

The two men held five hours of discussions at a German government villa on Wednesday before breaking off for the night without making any comment at around 10:30 pm (2030 GMT).

"The discussions will continue tomorrow at 10:30 am (0830 GMT)," Solana's spokeswoman Cristina Gallach told AFP.

She gave no details of the first day of their talks.

As the two men had begun their talks after a handshake for the cameras, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad issued a defiant message that Iran would "not back down" on its nuclear rights in the face of pressure from the Western powers.

"They want to use suspension (of nuclear enrichment) for propaganda and tell the world that they forced Iran into accepting suspension," Ahmadinejad was quoted as saying by the official IRNA news agency.

"They are making a mistake and the Iranian nation will not back down on its rights."

European diplomats have portrayed the talks as a last opportunity for Iran to agree to UN Security Council demands to suspend uranium enrichment activities and thus stave off the threat of United Nations sanctions.

The deal offered by the five permanent Security Council members plus Germany calls on Iran to accept a package of incentives in exchange for it halting enrichment.

The West fears that the enriched uranium could be used to produce nuclear arms, although Iran rejects claims it is trying to develop such weapons.

Key to the success of the talks is the question of whether Iran is prepared to suspend uranium enrichment for a limited period of time before or even during full negotiations with world powers.

The Washington Times reported on Tuesday that Iran was close to agreeing a secret deal that would see it suspend enrichment for 90 days in order for additional talks to take place with European nations.

However there was confusion over whether Iran is considering such a step.

Mohammad Saeedi, the deputy head of Iran's atomic agency, denied the reports.

"Since no negotiations have started this news cannot be correct and it is utterly baseless and without foundation," Saeedi told AFP by telephone from Berlin before the meeting.

"This kind of news will create a propaganda atmosphere and this false propaganda atmosphere will not help solve the issue," said Saeedi.

"Therefore -- as we have said before -- we are seriously and in a logical fashion, pursuing our negotiations."

European diplomats said Larijani made an offer at his last talks with Solana on September 9-10 in Vienna but several Iranian officials have denied any suspension is on the cards.

"Such issues will not be addressed in the next negotiations," Atomic Energy Organization deputy head Mohammad Saeedi told the Iranian student news agency ISNA on Tuesday.

Germany, which along with Britain and France has been negotiating with Iran over its nuclear programme, described the meeting as "part of our efforts to find a diplomatic solution".

Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki struck an upbeat note.

"Since there is an atmosphere of understanding between Iran and Europe, we can be optimistic on the results of the meeting," he was quoted as saying by state television.

The US State Department spokesman meanwhile spoke of "hopeful" signs from Iran but warned sanctions were still on tap if diplomacy failed.

The repeated delays for the latest Larijani-Solana meeting appear to reflect intense diplomatic efforts to ensure the nuclear dossier is not referred to the Security Council.

Iran's uranium enrichment is particularly controversial as it can be used to make fuel for a nuclear power station but in its highly enriched form can also be employed to make the explosive core of a nuclear bomb.

Iran insists that its nuclear programme is solely for peaceful energy needs and vehemently rejects US allegations that it is seeking to manufacture nuclear weapons.

The negotiations were given a last chance after Washington, under pressure from Europe and China, backed down on its demand for immediate sanctions against Iran for failing to meet an August 31 UN deadline to freeze enrichment.

According to European diplomats, Western powers have set the start of October as a final deadline for Iran to give its definitive response to the Security Council offer.