Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Hassan Rowhani has warned that a European nuclear proposal unwelcome to Iran would impair the ongoing nuclear talks, the official IRNA news agency reported on Tuesday.

"Keeping in mind prevailing realities, we have reminded the European Union (EU) of our minimum expectations, and I hope the decision they make would not waste the fruits of our mutual efforts," Rowhani was quoted as saying.

The negotiator made the comments in an exclusive interview with IRNA shortly after he arrived in Johannesburg, South Africa, Monday afternoon on an official visit.

Rowhani noted that the EU would present a nuclear proposal aimed to solve the Iranian nuclear issue by the end of July or in early August.

"Iran would wait for European countries' comprehensive cooperation proposal. If that proposal would be arranged in a way to face Iran's rejection, we might be faced with new conditions," he said.

Rowhani also expressed hope that the ongoing bilateral nuclear talks would not be influenced by the upcoming inauguration of Iran's new cabinet.

"It will not be acceptable for us if the EU would intend to let the result of Iran's recent presidential elections influence our nuclear talks, and furthermore, they should respect what is the choice of the Iranian nation in a free and fair election," he said.

"The two sides have reached a relatively satisfactory point now, and I hope we would be able to witness the fruits of our mutual efforts in the future," Rowhani added.

Iran and the EU have been negotiating over Tehran's nuclear project since Iran suspended its uranium enrichment activities in November 2004 to avoid a referral of its nuclear case to the UN Security Council.

The EU promised in late May to make a comprehensive proposal in two months, including a package of economic and political incentives, to solve the Iranian nuclear issue. It hopes to encourage Iran to permanently halt the enrichment.

However, Tehran insists that it will never give up legal rights for the peaceful use of nuclear power.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, a hardliner winning a landslide victory in Iran's presidential election in June, will come into power on Aug. 4, which has raised wide worries over the prospect of the diplomatic solution to the Iranian nuclear issue.

The United States has accused Iran of secretly developing nuclear weapons, but Tehran rejected the charge as politically motivated.

Source: Xinhua