WORLD / Middle East
Rice: US offers Iran no security guarantees
(AFP)
Updated: 2006-05-22 08:40
The United States is not offering security guarantees to Iran to end its
nuclear program, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said.
The United States is not offering security guarantees to Iran to end its
nuclear programme, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, pictured 05
May 2006, said. [AFP\File]
"Iran is a troublemaker in the international system, a central banker of
terrorism. Security assurances are not on the table," she told "Fox News
Sunday."
The top US diplomat spoke as Iran said Sunday it would not suspend
uranium enrichment despite European Union plans to offer incentives to
the Islamic republic if it halts the sensitive nuclear work.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert claimed Iran could obtain a
nuclear bomb in "months" and vowed that Israel would take the "necessary
measures" to stop this from occurring.
Ahead of new international talks on Iran this week, Rice told Fox, "It's
obvious that in addition to the nuclear issue, we have other issues with
Iran. We have a state in Iran that is devoted to the destruction of
Israel. We have a state in Iran that meddles in the peace process" in the
Middle East.
Britain, France and Germany have drawn up a package aiming to persuade
Iran to end its uranium enrichment, which Washington and its allies say
hides an effort to build a nuclear bomb.
The European proposals are to be discussed at a meeting in London on
Wednesday of Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States, the
permanent members of the UN Security Council, along with Germany.
Iran said its nuclear program remains on track despite the international
pressure.
"We cannot retreat. The (European) proposal should provide ways to secure
our rights," foreign ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi told reporters
in Tehran. "We will not stop enrichment.
"The basis of our work is that the Islamic Republic of Iran's rights must
be recognized in any plan," Asefi said.
The European package could include trade, technology and security
benefits if Tehran stops enriching uranium.
Iran says it only wants to make reactor fuel, but the enrichment process
can be extended to make weapons.
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