TEHRAN, September 20 (RIA Novosti) - Tehran's chief nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani, and the European Union foreign policy chief, Javier Solana, will hold talks on Iran's controversial nuclear program next week, Iran's National Security Council said Wednesday.
"The agreement was reached in the course of a telephone conversation between Larijani and Solana," the council press service said. "The talks will take place in a European capital."
Iran has been at the center of an international dispute this year over its nuclear ambitions. Some countries suspect the Islamic Republic of pursuing a covert weapons program, but Tehran has consistently denied the claims and says it needs nuclear energy for civilian needs.
Larijani, head of Iran's influential Supreme National Security Council, last met with Solana September 10 in Geneva. Solana said progress was made in some areas and the talks would continue.
The five permanent UN Security Council members and Germany drafted a package of incentives to persuade Iran to suspend work on enriching uranium, which could be used in both electricity generation and weapons production. Solana presented the offer to Tehran during a visit to Iran June 6.
Tehran's response to these incentives was handed to the Iran-6 group August 22. According to media reports, Iran claims it will consider suspending its uranium enrichment program only after talks.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said last week he saw a number of constructive aspects in Tehran's response and that these aspects helped maintain contacts between Solana and the Iranian side.
The UN Security Council adopted Resolution 1696 July 31, demanding that Iran suspend uranium enrichment by August 31 or face possible economic and diplomatic sanctions. However, a report from the International Atomic Energy Agency, the UN's nuclear watchdog, said Tehran had refused to suspend the program and had blocked its inspectors from nuclear facilities.
Russia, which signed the UN resolution, opposes the imposition of sanctions advocated by the United States. Washington is pushing for setting a deadline for sanctions, regardless of skepticism from Russia, China and even its western European allies.
French President Jacques Chirac advocated Tuesday the continuation of dialogue, saying he opposed setting a deadline for sanctions and that talks should be allowed to run their course.
