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| Iran Warns Retaliation; Switzerland Asked to Host Nuclear Talks |
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Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi warned Sunday that any United Nations Security Council resolution forcing Teheran to suspend nuclear activities could draw a retaliation. "Any slashing measures could face relevant reactions. If the other side chooses anything but the path of negotiations, of cause our attitude will change accordingly," Asefi told reporters. "The Security Council is not the end of the world," he said, without elaborating on how Teheran could retaliate if the council passes a resolution that demands Iran suspend its nuclear enrichment. "Everything should come out through negotiations, " Asefi said. Meanwhile, Iran has asked Switzerland to host an international conference to help resolve issues related to its nuclear program, a Swiss newspaper reported on Sunday. The request for the conference was made by Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki at a meeting in Tehran with a senior Swiss government official last week, the Zurich-based NZZ am Sonntag newspaper quoted "reliable sources" as saying. Iran hopes the conference to be participated not only by the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, namely the United States, Britain, China, France and Russia, but also countries like Japan and Spain and possibly India and Pakistan, the newspaper added. Iran insists that its nuclear program is for civilian purpose and has thus far refused to yield to US and EU pressure for giving up its uranium enrichment activities. The five permanent members of the Security Council plus Germany have offered a package of incentives to Iran in exchange for its suspension of the nuclear program. But Iran has yet to give a formal response to the offer. No Swiss or Iranian official sources have so far confirmed NZZ am Sonntag's report. (China Daily, Xinhua News Agency July 24, 2006)
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