Iran reiterated on Sunday its rejection to a UN demand for it to halt uranium enrichment, saying the question of suspension is something "in the past".

"Suspension is something that is in the past. We will not take a step back," Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid-Reza Asefi told a weekly news conference.

While Tehran is ready to hear the points of view of the European countries over its nuclear issue, Iran "rejected any talks with preconditions," Asefi added.

His remarks came one day after the latest talks in Vienna between Iran's top nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani and EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana.

Following more than three hours of negotiation, Larijani told reporters Saturday that the talks focused on the incentive package offered by Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States as well as Iran's response.

The talks were "constructive" and achieved "progress" in some aspects, Larijani said, adding that his negotiation with Solana would continue on Sunday.

Solana's spokesperson Christina Gallach said Solana also found the talks with Larijani "constructive and positive".

On Aug. 22, Iran officially responded to the six-nation incentive package, saying it would like to negotiate on its nuclear issue.

But analysts believed that Iran's response was not " comprehensive" and some "ambiguous" explanations needed to be clarified during the talks between Solana and Larijani.

The flurry of diplomacy followed Tehran's rejection of UN Security Council Resolution 1696, which calls on Iran to suspend uranium enrichment activities by Aug. 31.

At an informal meeting in Brussels last week, EU foreign ministers decided to maintain serious talks with Tehran in efforts to solve Iran's nuclear issue through diplomacy.

Source: Xinhua