Tehran – Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Tuesday that Iran does not need negotiations with the United States over its nuclear program, apparently seeking to reassure hard-liners the country will not cave in as it considers a key Western incentives package.
Khamenei, who has the final word on all state matters, did not give his position on the proposals aimed at persuading Iran to impose a long-term moratorium on enriching uranium.
In Washington, White House press secretary Tony Snow said Khamenei’s remarks were “ambiguous” and that the Bush administration has heard varying responses from different quarters in Iran. He said Washington expects a formal response from Iran’s top nuclear negotiator, Ali Larijani, to European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana.
“We’re waiting for a consistent, official response,” Snow said.
Iran received the proposals June 6, and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said the government will not respond officially until at least mid-August. The United States and Europe are pressing for a quicker reply.
The long period of deliberations suggests internal divisions within Iran’s leadership over the proposals, which entail major concessions from Washington and a difficult compromise by Tehran.
The United States has said it would join direct talks with Iran, which is being asked to suspend uranium enrichment – a program it has vowed to pursue and never give up completely. Enrichment is a process that can produce fuel for nuclear generators or the material for nuclear warheads.
The United States and its allies suspect that Iran’s nuclear enrichment activities are a cover for a weapons program. Iran insists its nuclear program is limited to peaceful energy uses.
Hard-liners in Iran’s clerical- run leadership have called on the government to reject the proposals and have painted any agreement to talks with Washington as a surrender.
