Iran to resume nuclear talks with world powers next week

Iran nuclear powerTehran - Iran is to resume next week nuclear talks with the United Nations Security Council member states plus Germany (5+1) in which the Iranian reply to the 5+1 is expected to be disclosed, ISNA news agency reported Monday.

ISNA quoted parliament deputy Emad Hosseini as saying that the two sides would resume talks next week but gave neither a date nor a venue.

Another deputy, Hassan Qafurifard, told ISNA that the proposals of the two sides to settle the nuclear dispute would be discussed in next week's talks.

The relevant commissions at the Iranian parliament had a meeting Monday with the head of the Iranian Atomic Organization, Gholam Reza Aqazadeh.

European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana earlier this month delivered an upgraded package of incentives to Tehran in an effort to persuade it to suspend uranium enrichment.

Although Iran has not yet replied to the package, the main demand from the UN Security Council member states plus Germany for enrichment suspension has already been rejected by leading Iranian officials.

The United Nations Security Council has already issued three resolutions, including financial sanctions, against the Islamic state.

The EU last week decided to freeze the overseas assets of the Iranian state-run bank because of the Islamic state's refusal to stop enriching uranium. (dpa)