Iran Would Welcome Kerry Camp Proposal-Official
By Parisa Hafezi
TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran would welcome a proposal by U.S. presidential candidate Senator John Kerry's running mate for a "great bargain" to solve the dispute over Tehran's nuclear program, a senior Iranian official said on Saturday.
Vice presidential candidate Senator John Edwards has said that Kerry, a Democrat, would be willing to supply Iran with nuclear fuel for power generation if Tehran abandons its own fuel-making capability - if Iran did not accept this offer, it would confirm Iran wanted to make an atom bomb.
Iran earlier rejected the proposal, saying it would be "irrational" for Iran to jeopardize what it says is its purely civilian nuclear program by relying on supplies from abroad.
But in an apparent policy shift, Hossein Mousavian, head of the foreign policy committee at Iran's Supreme National Security Council, said Iran would review the proposal.
"Iran welcomes any constructive proposal from any American candidate," Mousavian told Reuters in an interview. "We are willing to consider constructive proposals from Americans," he added.
But he said Iran, as a signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), should be allowed to pursue its "peaceful nuclear program."
"Our legitimate right of pursuing peaceful nuclear technology should be considered," he said.
President Bush's administration says there is no point in offering incentives to Iran. Bush wants Iran referred to the U.N. Security Council for possible sanctions.
ELECTION CAMPAIGN
Mousavian said Iranian officials earlier rejected the Kerry camp proposal because they were not sure if it was part of the election campaign or a serious proposal.
He said Iran did not want to get embroiled in the U.S. election campaign. "If it is part of Kerry's election campaign ... we do not want to be part of it," he said. "Let the Americans play their game themselves."
Mousavian ruled out direct talks with Washington on Iran's nuclear program due to its "hostile" policy toward Iran.
The United States cut diplomatic ties with Iran after radical Iranian students took dozens of U.S. diplomats hostage following the 1979 Islamic revolution.
"It is because of 20 years of mistrust... Up to now, Americans have not shown any sign of good will," he said.
Mousavian called on Europeans to resist U.S. pressure and treat Tehran's nuclear dossier "fairly."
"Why they do not open a chapter of cooperation?" Mousavian said. "This issue can be solved by political talks, not by resolutions."
Iran agreed to suspend its enrichment-related activities last year after talks with foreign ministers from Britain, Germany and France. But it recently resumed key parts of it.
The IAEA board of governors passed a resolution last month demanding Iran freeze all activities connected with enriching uranium or face "tougher actions."
Mousavian said Iran considers enrichment as its "legitimate right" and would not yield to such pressures.
Iran's conservative-dominated parliament has prepared a bill that would force moderate President Mohammad Khatami's government to resume uranium enrichment.
"Parliament is concerned over whether the government is capable of guaranteeing the nations right of having peaceful technology," Mousavian said.