TEHRAN -- Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad-Ali Hosseini said here on Monday that pressure is being imposed on Iran to compel it to withdraw from the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

“One of the hidden objectives behind the pressure (being imposed) on Iran is to make it leave the NPT,” Hosseini told reporters at his weekly press briefing.
The Islamic Republic has “always insisted on having comprehensive cooperation with the agency (International Atomic Energy Agency) within the framework of the NPT,” he stated.
European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana visited Tehran on June 14 to deliver a revised offer of economic and political incentives from the 5+1 group (the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Russia, and China) in exchange for a suspension of Iran’s uranium enrichment activities.
As a signatory to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, Iran has the right to master the complete nuclear fuel cycle, including uranium enrichment, for peaceful purposes. It wants nuclear power only to generate electricity.
In a counterproposal, Iran has presented its package of proposals suggesting solutions to various political, security, economic, and nuclear issues.
Hosseini said Solana has generally agreed with Iran’s package of proposals.
The Foreign Ministry spokesman said negotiations can begin based on the “common points” of the 5+1 group’s package and Iran’s package of proposals.
“If we want the negotiations to be successful, we should start with the packages’ common ground,” he noted.
Tehran is studying the world powers’ proposals and will respond to it when the studies are over, he stated, adding that they are also expected to seriously study Iran’s package.
However, Iran’s stance on suspension of uranium enrichment has not changed, he asserted.
Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Secretary Saeed Jalili said on Sunday that Tehran is also studying the major powers’ updated offer of incentives meant to end the West’s prolonged nuclear standoff with Iran.
“In his latest trip to Tehran, Solana said he agrees with the outline of Iran’s package” but there was no mention of Iran suspending nuclear activities in the discussions, Jalili noted.
----------------- Israel not in a position to threaten Iran
Asked about a New York Times report on Friday that quoted U.S. officials as saying Israeli jets conducted a long-range Mediterranean exercise this month that appeared to be a practice run for a mission against Iran, Hosseini said the Zionist regime “is not in a position” to make threats against the Islamic Republic.
The Zionist regime is trying to boost the morale of Israeli officials, which plummeted after they were defeated by Lebanon’s resistance movement, he stated.
Israel is not able to threaten Iran, he said