Iran rejects nuclear offer from Western powers

Iran has rebuffed an offer from Britain and other leading world powers to help it build civil nuclear power stations if it stopped its disputed uranium enrichment programme.

Speaking today as a delegation of diplomats arrived in Tehran to present what they described as a "long term and peaceful solution to the Iranian nuclear problem," an Iranian official said the offer stood no chance of being considered if it involved halting the uranium project.
 
"If the package (from six major powers) includes suspension it is not debatable at all," said government spokesman Gholamhossein Elham.
 
His comments appeared to dash the hopes of high-level delegation from Britain, Russia, China, France and Germany, who are visiting the Iranian capital to spell exactly what the Islamic regime would have gained if uranium enrichment is abandoned.