Global General

Iran accepts Clinton non-deadline on nuke talks

(Agencies)
Updated: 2010-01-05 22:04

Iran accepts Clinton non-deadline on nuke talks

Government supporters hold placards and pictures of Iran's late leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini (R) and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in protest against opposition demonstrations during Ashura in Tehran December 30, 2009. [Photo/Agencies]

TEHRAN: Iran said Tuesday it welcomes Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton's comments that there is no hard-and-fast deadline for starting nuclear dialogue.

On Monday, Clinton said the Obama administration remained open to negotiating with Iran over its nuclear program, though it will move toward tougher sanctions if Iran does not respond positively. She stressed there was no hard-and-fast deadline for Iran.

Responding Tuesday, Iran's foreign ministry welcomed the comments.

"We share the same idea with her. Deadlines are meaningless. We hope other countries return to their natural path, too," said Ramin Mehmanparast, a foreign ministry spokesman.

The remarks were a rare positive response by the Iranians to US comments on its nuclear program.

The US and other Western allies accuse Iran of working to develop nuclear weapons. Iran denies the charge and says its program is for peaceful purposes.

The West is primarily concerned about high levels of uranium enrichment, which can be used to make an atomic bomb. At lower levels, enriched uranium is used in the production of fuel for nuclear power plants.

Iran has dismissed an end-of-2009 deadline imposed by the Obama administration and its international partners to accept a U.N.-drafted deal to swap most of its enriched uranium for nuclear fuel. The deal would reduce Iran's stockpile of low-enriched uranium, limiting, at least temporarily, its capability to make nuclear weapons.