Tehran, Iran, Jul. 04 – The European Union’s foreign policy chief Javier Solana and Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani will likely meet in Brussels on Wednesday, the government-run news agency Fars reported on Tuesday.The report quoted an “informed source” as saying that the talks would most likely be held in Brussels and last for several hours. Larijani and Solana are expected to
UPDATE: BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Iran postponed crucial nuclear talks with the European Union on Wednesday in apparent anger at an exiled opposition leader's visit to the European Parliament, but the meeting will go ahead on Thursday.
EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana, who last month put to Tehran a package of incentives offered by major powers for it to give up uranium enrichment, voiced surprise and impatience after a phone call with the chief Iranian nuclear negotiator. "I was surprised to hear that Ali Larijani ... has decided at the last minute to postpone his trip," Solana said. "I have made clear to the Iranians and to Dr Larijani that we want to proceed rapidly to examine the ideas I put to him early last month," he added in a statement.
Solana said he would meet Larijani in Brussels on Thursday and again on July 11, keeping up Western pressure for a clear answer before leaders of the Group of Eight industrial powers meet in St Petersburg on July 15. The United States insisted it wanted an Iranian answer on the incentives offer three days before the summit. "We have made it clear ... that we expect an answer by the 12th before the G8 summit begins," said White House spokesman Tony Snow.
Britain expressed disappointment at Iran's postponement of Wednesday's talks. "This adds to a suspicion that Iran is playing for time," a Foreign Office spokesman said.