Russia, China back Iran's calls for negotiations to end nuclear standoff

TEHRAN, Iran — Iran urged Europe on Wednesday to pay attention to what it called "positive" signals in its counterproposal to a nuclear incentives package aimed at persuading Tehran to roll back its nuclear program. Russia and China backed Iran's call for negotiations to end the standoff.

French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy said "the door is still open" for negotiations but only if Iran suspends uranium enrichment first, a step Tehran appears reluctant to agree to.

Diplomats from Europe, the U.S., Russia and China were studying the details of Iran's offer a day after Tehran presented it Tuesday without any detailed public comment.

The initial comments made clear the United States is likely to face difficulty getting at least two of the five veto-wielding permanent members of the U.N. Security Council — Russia and China — to agree to any tough sanctions against Iran.

Iran said Tuesday it was ready for "serious negotiations" on its nuclear program and cast its counterproposal as a new formula to resolve the crisis. But a semiofficial news agency said the government was unwilling to abandon uranium enrichment — the key U.S. demand.

The Iranian offer appeared aimed at enticing European countries and China and Russia into further negotiations by offering a broad set of proposals vague enough to hold out the hope of progress.

"If Europeans pay proper attention to positive and clear signals included in Iran's response, the case will be solved through negotiation and without tension," the radio quoted Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi as saying on Wednesday. He described Iran's response as a sign of his country's good will.

If the Iranians were to leave the door open to halting enrichment as talks progress, for example, that would drive a wedge between the Americans, British and French on one side and the Russians and Chinese on the other. Last month, Russia said the Security Council was in no rush to pressure Iran, striking a more conciliatory tone than the United States.

Russia's Foreign Ministry said it would continue to seek a negotiated solution. China appealed for dialogue, urging "constructive measures" by Iran and patience from the U.S. and its allies.

The White House has so far held off commenting until it can study the offer. But the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, John Bolton, said Washington was prepared to move forward with sanctions against Tehran if the response was not positive.