Bush disappointed by Iran's rejection of nuclear offer
US President George W Bush said on Saturday he was disappointed that Iran had rejected the "generous" European offer to settle the crisis over Tehran's suspect nuclear programme.
By Agencies |
PARIS: US President George W Bush said on Saturday he was disappointed that Iran had rejected the "generous" European offer to settle the crisis over Tehran's suspect nuclear programme.
"I am disappointed that the leaders rejected this generous offer out of hand. It is an indication to the Iranian people that their leadership is willing to isolate them further," Bush said at a joint news conference with French President Nicolas Sarkozy.
EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana on Saturday presented a new offer to Iran on ending the six-year standoff over its nuclear drive but Tehran once again rejected the proposal's key demand to halt nuclear enrichment.
"Iran's stance is clear. The precondition of a halt and suspension of nuclear activities cannot be brought up," Iranian government spokesman Gholam Hossein Elham said in Tehran.
Bush said that western demands that Iran freeze nuclear enrichment were "just and fair" and suggested that the United States and Europe were united in confronting Tehran.
"Our allies understand that a nuclear-armed Iran is incredibly destabilising. They understand that it would be a major blow to world peace," said Bush.
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Iran insists its nuclear activities are for peaceful purposes. Sarkozy, who has toughened the French stance on Iran since coming to power a year ago, reiterated that a nuclear-armed Iran would be an "unacceptable threat to world stability." Download
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