World powers mull changes to Iran nuclear offer

BRUSSELS: World powers are mulling whether to reformulate an offer to Iran to persuade it to suspend uranium enrichment, even as they discuss new UN sanctions, an EU diplomat said Wednesday.
"The package of incentives for Iran could be repackaged to make it more attractive, but that does not mean we are going to add things to it," he added.
On Monday, officials from the major powers -- UN Security Council permanent members the United States, Britain, France, China and Russia, plus Germany -- discussed a new report on Iran's nuclear activities and possible next steps.
EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana has, for more than 18 months, been trying to persuade the Islamic republic to suspend uranium enrichment in exchange for a vast package of political, trade and economic incentives.
As he held out this diplomatic carrot however, pressure has mounted at the UN Security Council, which has slapped two sets of sanctions on Iran and is in the process of preparing a third.
Tehran insists its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes.