Foreign office Minister Dr. Kim howells Comments on Iran's response to E3+3 Package

U.K. FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

August 6, 2008

Following Iran's response to the joint letter from 14 June signed by the Foreign Ministers of the E3+3 countries, Foreign Office Minister, Dr Kim Howells, has made the following comment:

'We are disappointed that Iran has failed to give Javier Solana a positive response to the E3+3’s generous package. Given this disappointing response and given that Iran has failed to meet the deadline in UNSCR 1803 to suspend its enrichment programme, the E3+3 have agreed that while informal contacts between Mr Solana and Mr Jalili will continue, we now have no choice but to pursue further sanctions against Iran, as part of our dual-track strategy.

'Iran has a clear choice: engagement or isolation. We regret that Iran’s leaders appear to have chosen isolation. The E3+3 incentives package contains everything Iran needs to pursue a modern civil nuclear power program, which Iran’s leaders claim is their aim, in addition to economic, educational, and scientific assistance.

'If Iran continues to refuse to come to the negotiating table, the international pressure on Iran will only grow.'