EU's foreign policy chief Javier Solana handed Manouchehr Mottaki on June 14 a new "packet of incentives" from the Iran Six -- China, France, Russia, the United States, Germany and Britain - in a compromise deal to try and persuade Tehran to halt its controversial nuclear program and avoid the threat of further sanctions.
"We will study the proposals and announce our position on this issue in a due time," Mottaki told a news conference, adding that the Iran Six should also study Iranian proposals on solving global problems submitted in May.
The new deal recognizes Iran's right to develop research, production and use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes and offers support for the construction of light water reactors, help with supplying nuclear fuel and the resumption of economic ties with the West.
The package also stipulates expansion of trade with the West, assistance with Iran's accession to the World Trade Organization, cooperation in regional security, the environment, agriculture, transportation and education.
The international negotiators already proposed to Tehran in June 2006 cooperation in civilian nuclear technology, trade and other spheres in a bid to persuade Tehran to give up uranium enrichment and resume talks with the Iran Six group.
The Islamic Republic rejected the 2006 incentives.
Iran's government spokesman, Gholam-Hossein Elham, said almost immediately after the June 14 meeting between Solana and Mottaki that Tehran would not accept any new incentives, if they contained demands for a suspension of uranium enrichment.
Iran is currently under three sets of relatively mild UN Security Council sanctions for defying demands to halt uranium enrichment, which it says it needs purely for electricity generation despite Western accusations that the program is geared toward weapon production.
Iran maintains that it has never been involved in research into the development of nuclear weapons.
