Iran delivered a letter to world powers on Tuesday but gave no concrete reply to a demand to freeze its nuclear activity, a defiant step the United States said amounted to "obfuscation" and could lead to more sanctions.
Iran handed the letter to European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana in response to an offer in June by major powers that they would refrain pursuing more U.N. penalties if Iran froze expansion of its nuclear work. Extracts of the one-page letter obtained by Reuters showed Iran gave no firm reply to the offer but instead promised a "clear response" at an unspecified date. "Iran is ready to provide a 'clear response' to your proposal at the earliest possibility, while simultaneously expecting to receive your 'clear response' to our questions and ambiguities as well," the letter said. "Such mutual clarification can pave the way for a speedy and transparent negotiating process with bright prospect."
The major powers say they fear Tehran wants to build an atomic bomb. But Iran, the world's fourth-largest oil producer, insists it is only seeking to master nuclear technology to generate electricity. "It is more of the same from the Iranians -- obfuscation and delays," said one U.S. official, who asked not to be named because he was not authorized to talk about the letter. "It was not the type of response the international community was looking for."
U.S. State Department spokesman Gonzalo Gallegos warned of "additional measures" against Iran and said the United States would join a conference call with other senior officials from China, Russia, France, Germany and Britain on Wednesday when the major powers would decide how to proceed. |