Larijani visit canceled to European security reason

Iranian delegation led by Secretary of Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Larijani had cancelled a visit to Brussels on Wednesday for security reasons.

"Following reports on formation of terrorist squads in Brussels by Israel and certain European states for assassination attempts on members of the Iranian delegation scheduled to visit Brussels on Wednesday, the Iranian delegation canceled the visit," a security official said.

He said that the European partner gave assurances about security of the Iranian delegation and the visit will take place on July 11. The official said that the European Union Foreign Policy and Security chief Javier Solana contacted Larijani on Wednesday saying that cancellation of the visit inflicted a blow on EU and invited Larijani to make a stopover in Brussels today.

He said that Larijani had accepted the dinner invitation for today extended to him by Solana to show his goodwill.

"Political issues had no role in such delay. In a phone conversation on Wednesdays, Larijani and Solana underlined the need to continue talks on Iran's nuclear issue," said Iran's parliament speaker Gholam-Ali Haddad-Adel.

Solana and Larijani's meeting today will be their first since the EU foreign policy chief presented a new package of incentives to Tehran on June 6 to resolve the nuclear issue.

"It will be the first meeting that should start consultations for negotiations with Iran," Solana's spokesperson Cristina Gallach said in Brussels Wednesday.

Solana and Larijani will meet over dinner Thursday and then meet again in Brussels on Tuesday.

"It is important that we start listening to the Iranian side on our proposal," said Gallach.

She said when asked about setting any deadline for a reply from Iran that "We are not using the language of deadlines."

She said that the Group of Eight (G8) summit meeting at St Petersburg will be held on July 15 and "it would be good to listen to an initial Iranian response to the European offer."

Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said that Iran will reply to the new EU proposals in August.

Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister in Europe and America Affairs Saeid Jalili said yesterday in an interview with Bosnian reporters, "Full access to nuclear technology is Iran's absolute right, since we are merely after taking peaceful advantage of it."

Venezuelan Ambassador to Iran Arturo Galleos said yesterday that Iran's nuclear activities pose no threat at all against the global society, saying "Like all other countries, Iran, too is entitled to take advantage of nuclear energy ... The Western countries' opposition against Iran's full access to all aspects of that technology is due to their real intention that is their opposition against Iran's rapid advancement and comprehensive development."