Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
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Iran Rejects 'Pre-Conditions' For Nuclear Talks
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=12AB079:3919ACA Iranian spokesman
reiterates Tehran's position that it has the right under the Nuclear
Nonproliferation Treaty to enrich uranium





Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi, speaks with media
in his weekly press conference in Tehran, June 18, 2006Iran's Foreign
Ministry says the government refuses any pre-conditions for
negotiations on its nuclear program.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi told a weekly news
conference Sunday such pre-conditions narrow the scope of possible
talks and make it more difficult to reach a solution.

Asefi reiterated Tehran's position that it has the right under the
Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty to enrich uranium, a process that
could produce nuclear fuel and also an atomic weapon.

The spokesman says Iran has formed committees to study a Western
package of incentives offered in exchange for Tehran suspending
uranium enrichment and returning to talks.

On Friday, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said the offer is a
step forward and will be considered carefully.

The West suspects Iran is trying to develop nuclear weapons - a charge
Iran denies. Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP.


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