Iran rejects European, American nuclear talks News
Iran rejects European, American nuclear talks

[JURIST] Iran rejected conditional negotiations with Europe concerning its nuclear program Sunday, instead voicing interest in talks with the International Atomic Energy Agency [official website]. Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi also said the United States would not be included in any negotiations [IRNA report]. On Friday, top nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani [Wikipedia profile] called for additional members of the EU negotiation team [JURIST report]. The EU countries involved in the negotiations, Britain, France and Germany, have cancelled talks scheduled for August 31st because of Iran's continued uranium processing activities, which violate an IAEA resolution made earlier this month [JURIST report]. Britain's Foreign Office has said that there was "no basis for negotiations with Iran until they respond" to the IAEA resolution. AP has more.

1:58 PM ET – French President Jacques Chirac said Monday that if Iran does suspend its nuclear activities in accordance with its previous deal with the EU countries, France would consider referring the matter to the UN Security Council. Last week, Larijani indicated that Iran was not concerned about possible Security Council action [JURIST report]. Read the English translation of Chirac's remarks, delivered as he addressed a meeting of French ambassadors. Reuters has more.