Monday, June 12 2006 18:33 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Tehran: Iran would not suspend uranium enrichment to facilitate negotiations with the world over the incentives package, a government spokesman said today (June 12, 2006) ,indicating the country would rebuff US conditions for taking part in such negotiations.

Iran has not responded formally to the package of incentives that is intended to persuade it to step back from enrichment.

But it said yesterday that parts of the offer were acceptable, others were not, and the key issue of uranium enrichment-a process that can make fuel for a nuclear power plant or material for an atomic bomb- needed clarification.

At a news conference today, Iranian spokesman Gholam Hossein Elham gave no indication of when Iran would reply to the package presented June 6, but he ruled out any temporary suspension of enrichment.

The United States has offered to drop its long-standing opposition to direct negotiations with Iran and join the talks over its nuclear program if the country suspends enrichment.

Iran has an 'obvious right' to enrich uranium, Elham said when asked if Iran would suspend enrichment for the sake of negotiations.

"Our country will not negotiate over its obvious rights," he said.

"This is a non-negotiable issue," he added.

Iran's top nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani said yesterday that Iran would reject the package outright if Western powers threatened it with sanctions.

The United States and Europehave been lobbying other nations to join them in urging Iran to accept the package- and warning of UN Security Council action if it does not- according to documents seen by The Associated Press.