Western nations who offered Iran an incentive package to end its nuclear program say they expect an answer from Tehran by July 5. Leaders in the Iranian government have said they do not expect to respond to the West's offer until some time in August.
The foreign ministers of the G-8 industrial nations released a joint statement Thursday saying, 'We are disappointed in the absence of an official Iranian response to this positive proposal. We expect to hear a clear and substantive Iranian response to these proposals' by July 5 when European Union foreign ministers will be meeting with Iran's chief nuclear negotiator.
Iran has indicated it would give a response at the meeting but did not say it would be a definitive acceptance or rejection of the proposal. In fact, Iran's foreign minister, Manouchehr Mottaki, indicated his government needed more information from the West about the proposals. 'The Islamic Republic of Iran is seriously and carefully reviewing the proposed package,' Mottaki said at the U.N. last week. 'I've said that such response will be in August.'
The G-8 nations are scheduled to meet in Russia between July 15 and 17. Iran's nuclear program is certain to be a major topic of discussion regardless of the answer Tehran gives to this proposal.
Thus far, Russia and China, traditional allies of Iran, have blocked any serious proposals to put sanctions into place against Tehran. The crisis over Iran's nuclear program continues. At least at this point, the sides are talking to each other. That represents some small bit of progress.
