Statement by Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki: Iran Seeks a Comprehensive Understanding with the P5+1 Group

June 10, 2006

Weapon Program: 

  • Nuclear

Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said Saturday Iran will try to reach a comprehensive understanding with Group 5+1 on its nuclear case.

"Iran will strive to adopt measures to reach a comprehensive understanding which would take into consideration the inalienable interests of one side and remove concerns of the other," he said.

Mottaki made the statement while speaking to reporters in a joint press conference with his Palestinian counterpart Mahmoud al-Zahar. The European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana on June 6 presented a new package of incentives and penalties to Iran which has been approved by representatives of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council -- Russia, China, Britain, France and the United States -- plus Germany in exchange for Tehran`s suspension of enrichment work.

Mottaki said, "The proposed package has been opened. We will review proposals of the Group 5+1 and then announce the results to the European side officially."

"We will inform the (Iranian) nation of the content of the Europe`s proposals at the earliest." The Iranian foreign minister expressed hope, "The shuttle diplomacy will lead to Europe`s precise study of a genuine proposal by the Islamic Republic of Iran that could possibly be sent to the European side as an amendment or a counter-package."

"We support fair talks, with no preconditions and discrimination, which may lead to a comprehensive understanding," he added. He declined to comment on a question whether Europe`s proposals included suspension of enrichment work saying, "Since we have not announced the content of the package, we cannot talk about its details."