Three European nations have suggested offering Iran economic incentives – including the sale of civilian Airbus jets – to tempt the Islamic republic into curtailing its nuclear program.
Iran insists its nuclear development program is intended for strictly peaceful means but the United States has repeatedly warned Iran may use enriched uranium to build atomic weapons.
In November, Germany, France, the United Kingdom and European Union representatives signed an agreement with Iran demarcating the peaceful nature of its nuclear program. Tension has been rising since then, however, with threats and counter-threats of American military intervention and Iranian retaliation.
Reuters reported that on Tuesday, German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder told an EU-U.S. summit in Brussels the three European powers were considering selling the Iranians an Airbus airliner as a sweetener to keep them at the negotiating table, with the prospect of more planes if they accepted a deal.
He urged the United States to approve “intermediate steps” to make negotiating worthwhile for Iran, which has suspended disputed uranium enrichment activities during the talks.
Following Tuesday’s talks with EU leaders, U.S. President George W. Bush gave verbal support to the European efforts to strike a deal with Iran, granting it trade benefits and security guarantees in exchange for giving up its enrichment activities.
However, the American leader did not respond to a call by French President Jacques Chirac to let Iran have civilian aircraft engines and to stop blocking its candidacy for the World Trade Organization.
The French leader also asked Bush on Monday to offer Iran incentives of his own.