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Iran 'positive' on nuclear offer Incentives aimed at persuading Iran to halt sensitive atomic research contain "positive steps" and "ambiguities", its chief nuclear negotiator has said. Ali Larijani spoke after receiving the proposal, agreed by world powers last week, from the EU foreign policy chief. The proposals have not been made public but sources say they could include giving Iran a nuclear reactor and an assured supply of enriched uranium. Tehran says it will consider incentives but refuses to halt enrichment. 'Constructive' Mr Larijani's remarks following his two-hour meeting with Javier Solana were surprisingly upbeat, the BBC's Frances Harrison in Tehran reports. The Iranian negotiator said they had held "constructive" talks and Tehran would respond after studying the incentives. Europe was right to try to use diplomatic negotiations to solve the problem and Iran was open to resuming talks to try to find a logical and well-balanced solution, he added. For his part, Mr Solana said he hoped Tehran's reply would be positive. "Now that the proposal is on the table, I hope we will receive a positive response which will be satisfactory to both sides," he said. The EU foreign policy chief arrived in Tehran overnight, when he said the West wanted "to start a new relationship on the basis of mutual respect and trust". He is also due to meet Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki, who earlier said they could "reach a logical agreement" if "their aim is not politicising the issue, and if they consider our demand". The foreign minister told reporters that the EU and Iran would launch a "shuttle diplomacy" to iron out differences about Iran's nuclear programme. Call for patience The proposals were agreed by the UK, China, France, Germany, Russia and the US in Vienna. Western nations fear Iran is enriching uranium to make nuclear weapons, while Tehran says its nuclear programme is for peaceful energy purposes. The six powers who drew up the package say Iran should suspend its uranium enrichment programme before any negotiations can begin.But Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said Tehran will not abandon its right to nuclear technology under Western pressure and that demands that Iran must give up uranium enrichment are unacceptable. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has the final say in all state matters in Iran, warned on Sunday that energy flows in the region would be disrupted if the US made a "wrong move". White House spokesman Tony Snow said the threat was "theoretical", urging patience to allow Iran to study the proposals. "Let's give it time, let the Iranians take a look at what the offers are, the incentives and disincentives," he said in Washington. The US earlier warned Iran a rejection of the proposals could bring UN-imposed penalties. Last week Washington offered to join EU states in talks if Iran halted enrichment, in what was seen as a major policy change and an attempt to regain the initiative in the issue. ---------------------------------------------------
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