Athens, Aug 31: A senior Iranian envoy on Thursday insisted
his country was ready for international talks "anywhere, any
place" to discuss Iran`s nuclear program, as a U.N. Deadline
for Iran to limit nuclear activities was due expire.
"Instead of being so sensitive to deadlines, we have
to be focusing on the content," said Mohammad Nahavandian, a
top aide to Iran`s National Security Council.
"With the chance of cooperation, there is no need for
confrontation ... Iran would rather have a long and
comprehensive cooperation which serves stability and peace,"
he said.
Nahavandian, the third senior Iranian official to visit
Greece since May met for more than an hour with Foreign
Minister Dora Bakoyannis.
"Cooperation can only come from productive negotiations.
As Iran has announced, it is ready anywhere, any place for the
immediate start of that kind of productive negotiation," the
Iranian envoy said.
Greece, seen as an indirect channel of communication
between Iran and the United States, takes over the rotating
presidency of the United Nations Security Council tomorrow.
A Greek official, who asked not to be named citing the
sensitive nature of the talks, described today`s meeting as
"very substantive."
Iran`s Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki visited Athens
in July, and in May Iran`s top nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani
also met with Bakoyannis in Athens.
Bureau Report