Tehran Rejects US Offer

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hamid Reza Asafi emphasized that they will not give up their "peaceful" nuclear studies despite threats, pressures and coercion. Accusing Washington of hypocrisy, Asafi claimed that despite these offers by Rice, US President George W. Bush has decided to continue embargos implemented against Iran. Senior Iranian negotiator Sirus Naseri, on the other side, said that claims that European states have begun pressuring Iran in order to convince it to give up its nuclear activities are untruthful. While the US accuses Iran of producing nuclear weapons, Israel argues that Iran is "too close" to producing an atom bomb.