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.
