TEHRAN - Iran rejects the recent statement of European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana, who said on Friday he was sure Tehran was ready for direct talks with the U.S. over its disputed nuclear program, Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad-Ali Hosseini said here on Sunday.

Iran has repeatedly announced its stance in this regard, Hosseini told reporters at his weekly press briefing.

Asked if he believed Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei was ready to allow talks with the United States, Solana answered, “I say without any hesitation, yes,” Reuters reported.

What the Leader deems expedient will be announced as Iran’s main policy, and there is no new position, Hosseini explained.

Swiss proposal must not call for enrichment suspension

If Switzerland’s new nuclear proposal states that Iran should suspend uranium enrichment, it should be revised, Hosseini said.

Asked whether the Swiss proposal was on the agenda of the recent meeting in Ankara between Iranian Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Larijani and Solana, Hosseini stated that the two sides discussed “a plan” that had both weak and strong points and it was decided that the plan required further study.

According to AFP, Solana has made a proposal to the Iranians based on a text, the so-called Swiss proposal, worked out in recent months between Swiss and Iranian diplomats.

The Swiss proposal foresees a 30-day moratorium period, during which Iran would not expand its nuclear program and world powers would not seek further UN sanctions, working out a “double time-out”.

The Larijani-Solana talks were “positive, successful, and progressive,” Hosseini said.

Iraq conference

The Foreign Ministry spokesman also said Iranian officials had discussed the Sharm el-Sheikh conference with Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari and his delegation during their recent visit to Tehran, adding that the Islamic Republic would announce its decision soon.

It was later announced that Iran would participate in the Iraq security conference, which is to gather the country’s neighbors and world powers in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh from May 3 to 4.

Zebari arrived in Iran on Wednesday for a two-day trip to try to convince Iranian officials to participate in the conference.