IRAN STICKS TO HARDLINE POSITION?

Despite Burns' presence at the meeting, Iran gave no clear answer to the package of incentives for suspending its nuclear program, though the country is expected to make a response within two weeks.

Under the incentives, presented last month by the five U.N. Security Council permanent members plus Germany, Iran could get a temporary reprieve from economic and financial sanctions in exchange for freezing its enrichment activities.

Preliminary negotiations over a permanent halt could then begin, although the United States would not join them until after Iran agrees to fully suspend uranium enrichment.

Iran had previously refused to suspend its nuclear programs, which it insisted were used only for civil purposes, such as generating electricity.

According to Jalili, Iran has also presented its own package of proposals for solving the nuclear issue, and the package contains "a number of opportunities that should not be lost."

The Iranian nuclear negotiator noted that Iran's package and that of the six countries had a lot of common ground, and that Iran was at present only willing to hold further talks on the basis of the common ground between the two proposals.

Diplomats were kept guessing whether Iran's seemingly hardline approach were mere diplomatic tactics designed to win more concessions from its rivals in future talks. After all, Iran has agreed to further talks aimed at finding a solution to its nuclear issue.