TEHRAN - The United States’ announcement that it will join European Union states in talks with Tehran if Iran suspends its uranium enrichment program is an attempt to cover up the country’s backdown from its previous stance of opposition to any kind of nuclear dialogue with Iran, Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Committee Chairman Alaeddin Borujerdi said here on Saturday.

European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana was to arrive here Monday to offer Iran the proposals from the five permanent members of the UN Security Council -- Britain, China, France, Russia, and the United States -- plus Germany for fresh multilateral talks.

“Many analysts, the media, and U.S. public opinion believe that Washington’s offer to negotiate with Iran is a sign of the country’s withdrawal from its previous stances and indicates its diplomatic failure,” Borujerdi told reporters.

“Therefore, the Americans are trying to make up for this passive stance by calling for a suspension of enrichment activities by Iran as a precondition for talks,” he observed. Commenting on the nuclear proposals, he noted, “We will not hurry and after studying the proposals will respond to them based on our national interests.”

“The path we have trodden so far is irreversible, but since there is a long road ahead and, based on the Majlis approval, Iran has to provide the nuclear fuel for 20 nuclear power plants over the next 20 years, there are still many grounds for talks.”