Iran Unveiled 'Nothing New' at EU3 Talks

Reuters:

Iran presented no major new proposals at talks with European Union countries on Monday over Western concerns about its nuclear ambitions, a British official said after the discussions ended. READ MORE

The talks in Brussels came ahead of a meeting of foreign ministers in London later on Monday where the EU and the United States will seek to persuade Russia and China to back tough diplomatic action against Iran over its nuclear programme.

"We didn't hear anything new that we hadn't heard already," diplomat John Sawers told reporters after two hours of talks with Javad Vaeedi, deputy head of Iran's Supreme National Security Council.

"We will pass on the information to our foreign ministers. They will make the final decision on whether the matter will go to the U.N. Security Council," he added.

Emerging from the talks with the so-called EU3 of Britain, France and Germany, Vaeedi said the discussions had been "very positive" and raised the prospect of further meetings.

"As far as we are concerned, it has been a positive outcome," he said.

Neither he nor Sawers referred to a new set of proposals Iran was expected to present at the talks aimed at halting a transfer of Iran's case to the U.N. Security Council.

A diplomat with access to the Iranian position said earlier that under the proposal, Iran would seek agreement with the United Nations nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), on the scope of enrichment allowed for research and development purposes and refrain from other enrichment activity.