Saeed Jalili
Photo: AP
Wants an answer. Obama
Photo: Reuters
Iran says ready to hold talks with world powers
'We've prepared an updated nuclear proposal,' state television quotes Islamic Republic's chief nuclear negotiator as saying
Iran has prepared an updated nuclear proposal and is ready to hold talks with world powers, Iranian television quoted the Islamic Republic's chief nuclear negotiator as saying on Tuesday.
Military Option
Yitzhak Benhorin
American daily's editorial warns President Obama he must curb Iranian nuclear program or deal with consequences of an Israeli military strike
US President Barack Obama has given Iran until later this month to take up a six powers' offer of talks on trade benefits if it shelves nuclear enrichment or face harsher sanctions. Iran has repeatedly rejected demands to halt such work.
"Iran has prepared an updated nuclear proposal and is ready to resume negotiations with world powers," chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili was quoted as saying by al-Alam, Iran's Arabic-language satellite television.
In late July Defense Secretary Robert Gates told his Israeli counterpart Ehud Barak that the US expects an answer from Iran by the beginning of the UN General Assembly session in New York on September 23, while last month Secretary of State Hillary Clinton warned Iran that it has only limited time to accept the Obama administration's offer of engagement or face new penalties and isolation over its nuclear program.
In a report published over the weekend, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said Iran had slowed its expansion of uranium enrichment and met some demands for transparency but added that allegations Tehran had researched how to build atom bombs looked credible.
The White House said the report proved Iran was continuing to expand its nuclear program.
Ronen Medzini, Dudi Cohen contributed to the report
