Nations Repeat Commitment to Negotiated Solution on Iran Nukes

22 September 2010

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad speaks at a summit on the Millennium Development Goals at United Nations headquarters, 21 Sep 2010

Senior U.S. diplomats say there are "some signs" from Mr. Ahmadinejad and other Iranian officials that Tehran may be willing to resume a dialogue this autumn, and that the major powers are also ready to re-engage.

The comments came after an hour-long Iran strategy meeting at the European Union mission in New York of the five permanent U.N. Security Council member countries and Germany, the P5+1.

The six-power grouping has had an on-and-off dialogue with Iran over its nuclear intentions, and last October offered to provide Iran with fuel for a Tehran research reactor if it sent abroad part of its stockpile of low-enriched uranium.

In a joint statement, the P5+1 foreign ministers including Secretary of State Hillary Clinton reaffirmed their "determination and commitment to an early negotiated solution" to the Iran nuclear issue, and are ready to engage on the nuclear swap deal which Tehran initially accepted but backed away from.

European Union chief diplomat Catherine Ashton spoke for the six powers.

"Our objective continues to be a comprehensive, long-term negotiated solution which restores international confidence in the exclusively peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear program, which respecting Iran's legitimate right to the peaceful use of nuclear energy," said Ashton. "We remain determined and united in our efforts for this purpose."