The European Union (EU) on Monday denied that its foreign ministers have agreed on new sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program.
"Today, there has been no decision," Cristina Gallach, spokeswoman for EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana, told reporters.
She said the EU is working hard to seek early implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1803, which contains sanctions. But the ministers did not make a decision on Monday.
She said the ministers heard a report from Solana, which gave a clear message on the EU's dual-track approach to Iran: the EU maintains pressure while leaving the door to negotiations open.
A British diplomat said earlier on Monday that EU foreign ministers agreed on new sanctions. "The timetable is in the next few days," he told reporters.
Solana has just returned from Tehran where he handed over a new package proposal, which in essence offers incentives in return for Iran's suspension of uranium enrichment-related activities.
U.S. President George W. Bush said Saturday that the Iranian authorities had rejected the proposal offered by Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States.
"I'm disappointed that the leaders rejected this generous offer out of hand. It's an indication to the Iranian people that their leadership is willing to isolate them further," Bush told a joint press conference with French President Nicolas Sarkozy.
But Gallach clarified Monday that the Iranians had said they would call back to Solana in a few days.
The West claims that Iran intends to produce nuclear weapons while Tehran has said its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only.
The UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, has been unable to determine whether Iran's nuclear program is peaceful or not, prompting several UN Security Council resolutions containing sanctions on Iran.
Source:Xinhua
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