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Annan asks U.S., Iran to hold talks

Atul Aneja

DUBAI: United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan has urged the United States to hold direct talks with Iran by joining key European countries in such an exercise.

Mr. Annan said on Friday that talks with Iran would be more productive if the U.S. also participated in them. "Everyone, every important stakeholder should be at the table," Mr. Annan said.

"I urge all parties to be open, Iran included, and come back to the table and find a solution." Speaking to reporters on the margins of the E.U.-Latin America summit, he called for the lowering of rhetoric on the situation in Iran. "I have asked all sides to lower the rhetoric and intensify diplomatic efforts to find a solution," he said. "I have insisted very clearly both in private in my contacts with the American administration and publicly that I think it's important that the United States come to the table, and that they should join the European countries and Iran to find a solution."

The U.N. Security Council members have called upon Iran to halt its uranium enrichment programme, amid fears that Teheran could be engaged in building atomic weapons. Iran has repeatedly said it was only interested in nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. China and Russia oppose imposition of punitive measures against Iran.

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