EU received no response from Iran

Despite Iran frequently announcing readiness for nuclear talks, the EU foreign policy chief’s spokeswoman says she has received no ‘written response’ from Tehran.

“We offered to meet them at different levels, last time in New York, and our readiness to meet them is still there,” Maja Kocijancik said on Wednesday.

On September 22, foreign ministers of the P5+1 — the five permanent member of the UN Security Council plus Germany — announced on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly that they seek an “early negotiated solution,” which “restores international confidence in the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear program.”

“We haven’t received anything in writing in response to our offers in the last weeks,” AFP quoted Kocijancik as saying.

This is while Tehran had announced its readiness to resume talks on its nuclear program in September; stating that any negotiations must be conducted within the framework of the Tehran declaration.

Tehran issued a nuclear declaration with Ankara and Brasilia based on which Iran agreed to ship most of its low-enriched uranium to Turkey in exchange for fuel.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast criticized Ashton on Tuesday, saying that “If she is really eager for negotiations, she should do more [to show her eagerness].”

“If Ms. Ashton referred to Iran’s Foreign Minister [Manouchehr Mottaki]’s statements regarding a date for negotiations, she would see that we have announced a time for talks.”

Mottaki said on Saturday that the “end of October or early November is a good time for talks between Iran and the P5+1 (China, France, Russia, the UK and the US plus Germany).”

The US and its allies used their influence in the UN Security Council to impose the fourth round of sanctions against Iran over allegations that Tehran is pursuing a nuclear weapons program.

Iran says its nuclear program is completely peaceful and within the framework of the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty, to which it is a signatory.

The International Atomic Energy Agency, in its several reports, has also verified the country’s non-diversion from its peaceful path.