TEHRAN, June 8: Iran said on Thursday it is open to nuclear talks with the West, but that technology was not up for discussion, amid rising hopes for a breakthrough in the standoff over its controversial nuclear aims.

“We will negotiate about common concerns and for clearing up misunderstandings in the international atmosphere,” said President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

“But we will never negotiate about what kind of technology we want to use,” Ahmadinejad said in a speech broadcast on state television.

The international package — which offers trade, diplomatic and technology incentives in return for a freeze of uranium enrichment — was drawn up by Britain, France and Germany and backed by the United States, Russia and China.

Iran faces robust UN Security Council action, including a range of possible sanctions, if it rejects the offer.

According to diplomatic sources in Vienna and Tehran, the offer would eventually allow Iran to enrich uranium on its territory, but only after the approval of the international community.

The United States on Wednesday refused to confirm or deny those reports, dismissing them as “hypothetical and theoretical.” It reiterated that Iran must suspend all uranium enrichment on its soil as a condition for Washington’s participation in negotiations with the Islamic republic.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair said on Thursday that Iran would cause “a lot of difficulty” if it refused to suspend uranium enrichment.

“I hope very much that they don’t reject it (that condition) because if they do, that will cause a lot of difficulty,” Blair said.—AFP