Iran has not answered demands by world powers that it halt its nuclear activity, an Iranian official said on Tuesday, a stand that could endanger the possibility of full negotiations and lead to tighter sanctions against the Tehran government. Iranian media said a letter from Iran to the six powers was handed over on Tuesday.
The powers had offered to refrain from moving to impose more UN penalties if Iran froze expansion of its nuclear work. "The letter handed over is not an answer to the offered package. The letter does not mention the freeze-for-freeze issue," an Iranian official told Reuters. The freeze-for-freeze idea was seen as a stepping stone to full negotiations. The powers - the United States, China, Russia, Britain, France and Germany - say they fear Iran wants to build an atom bomb but the Tehran government says it wants to develop its nuclear programme for peaceful purposes.
Senior officials from the powers will hold a conference call on Wednesday to discuss whether to impose more punitive measures against Tehran, a US State Department spokesman said.
"If we don't receive a clear message from them, we will have no choice but to pursue additional measures," spokesman Gonzalo Gallegos said. European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana, who represents the powers, said no written response had yet been received.
The Iranian official said the freeze idea was also not raised in telephone talks on Monday between Iran's chief nuclear negotiator, Saeed Jalili, and Solana. "During the call, Jalili expressed his readiness to start formal talks," the official said, adding that he expected more contacts between Solana and Jalili in the next few days.
In another development, a UN nuclear watchdog official will go to Iran on Thursday. The International Atomic Energy Agency declined to specify the purpose of the visit by Olli Heinonen, its deputy director overseeing inspections into Iran's nuclear programme. The six powers have said formal talks on the package of nuclear, trade and other incentives can only start once Iran suspends uranium enrichment, the part of the programme that most worries the West because it has military and civilian uses.
In a letter to the Council, Britain, France and the United States, who have taken the toughest line with Tehran, said Iran's central bank and other financial institutions were trying to dodge sanctions by covering their tracks and must be carefully watched.