By IANS,
Tehran : Iran and the European Union (EU) will resume talks over the Islamic country’s nuclear issue July 19, IRNA reported Friday.
Iran’s top nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili and EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana will meet in Geneva to discuss a package of incentives offered to Tehran in return of its suspension of enrichment activities, the spokesman of Iran’s National Security Council Ahmad Khademolmelleh said.
The first round of the talks in London in November last year between the two failed to make a breakthrough.
Solana last month presented Tehran the upgraded incentive package by the five permanent UN Security Council members plus Germany (5+1) in a bid to dissuade Tehran from its uranium enrichment activities.
Iran had handed its reply to the package last week the content of which has not been divulged. The Islamic country has said on various occasions that it was open to talks on issues without compromising on its right to enrichment.
Khademolmelleh said Jalili would visit Geneva on an invitation by Solana as the G5+1 has welcomed continued talks between the EU envoy and the Iranian official on commonalties of P5+1 package and the one Iran had given the West early this year.
Tension over Iran’s nuclear issue has escalated with war cries from both Tehran and Tel Aviv and Iran’s test firing of long-range missiles during a naval exercise in the Persian Gulf.
Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak is due to visit US Monday and confer with the Pentagon over possible military action against Iranian nuclear installations.