Iran-Nuclear Program
Iran formally responded Friday to a proposal of incentives aimed at resolving the impasse over the country's nuclear program.

The response came in a letter signed by the Iranian foreign minister, Manouchehr Mottaki, and handed to the office of the European Union foreign policy chief, Javier Solana, on Friday evening, said Cristina Gallach, Solana's spokeswoman.

Earlier Friday, the chief Iranian nuclear negotiator, Saeed Jalili, told Solana by phone that the Iranian government had prepared its reply "with a focus on common ground and a constructive view." Gallach added that in the phone conversation, Jalili had said he "very much wanted to meet" with Solana "rather soon" to continue talking.

Another European official said Jalili had complained to Solana about the international sanctions that have been imposed against Iran.

In late June, the EU agreed to new sanctions on Iran in response to the country's failure to suspend uranium enrichment - sanctions that go beyond what the UN Security Council has mandated.

Sixty-one Iranians or companies - all alleged to have links to the Iranian nuclear or ballistic missile programs - will now be subject to a European visa ban, a freeze on assets or both.

Even the rumor of a positive response from Iran, the
second-largest OPEC oil producer, was enough to send crude oil prices down slightly Friday.

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