Iran rejects incentives that 'violate atomic rights'

Iran will not agree to any package of incentives offered by world powers that violate Iran's nuclear rights, the Iranian Foreign Ministry said on Monday.

"Incentives that in anyway violate our interests and our rights will not be supported by us," Spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini told a news conference broadcast and translated on Iran's Press TV when asked about a plan by six world powers to offer a new package to Iran.

Tehran says uranium enrichment is a national right.

Over the weekend, UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband said that the six powers agreed on the incentives package, adding "we hope (Iran) understands the gravity of the situation and reply to our offer in due time."

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Saturday that the six suggested Iran suspend its uranium enrichment plans during the negotiations regarding its nuclear program.

"Our first conditions are the freezing, suspension of uranium enrichment. The approach of the six (powers) is that Iran should suspend enrichment only for the period in which talks continue," Lavrov told Interfax and ITAR-TASS news agencies; adding there had been no discussion of imposing new sanctions on Iran.

"There wasn't anything about new sanctions although our American colleagues take the view that pressure on Iran must be maintained… It's necessary to explain to Iran the advantages it would receive from agreeing to start talks, on the basis of one condition -- the freezing of uranium enrichment," he said.

Tehran has made is clear in the past that it would not suspend its nuclear program, and has stood its ground on the matter.

Reuters and AFP contributed to this report