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Iran terms E.U.'s package childish

Atul Aneja

DUBAI: Iran has dismissed the European Union's expected offer of a package of incentives that includes the transfer of a nuclear reactor amid signs of serious divisions among the five permanent members of the Security Council on ways to deal with Teheran's controversial atomic programme.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Wednesday described as childish, the incentives package that the three European Union countries (E.U.-3), Britain, France and Germany could present Iran.

Reactor offered

The Europeans are working on the offer that includes the export of a light water reactor, in consultation with the United States.

"They say we want to give Iranians incentives but they think they are dealing with a four-year-old, telling him they will give him candies or walnuts and take gold from him in return," Mr. Ahmadinejad said while addressing a crowd in the central city of Arak.

Iran is building a heavy-water nuclear reactor in Arak, which key Western countries oppose, fearing that it would generate plutonium as a byproduct, which can be used in weapons.

The E.U.-3 would go ahead with its offer, provided Iran pledged to suspend all uranium enrichment activity. But Mr. Ahamdinejad, in his speech, made it explicit, "Iran will not accept any suspension or freeze (of nuclear work)."

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