Iran Says It's Not Interested In EU Incentives

Iran reiterated Tuesday that it was not interested in an European Union offer of incentives in return for a halt to the Islamic republic's nuclear program. Foreign ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi also expressed ‘surprise’ that the EU was still working on putting such a proposal together given that Iran has consistently stated its refusal to agree to a suspension of nuclear work. ‘If Europe is seeking diplomatic and peaceful solutions, it must not go beyond international treaties,’ Asefi said in a statement. The West fears that Iran is trying to develop a nuclear weapon under cover of a civilian atomic energy program and the EU is working on a package of trade and other incentives to try to coax the country into freezing sensitive uranium enrichment work.