Minister sees 'potential' for new talks

NEW YORK, July 2 (UPI) -- Iran's foreign minister said he sees "potential" for a new round of talks concerning Teheran's nuclear program.

Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said government leaders were "carefully examining" an incentives package presented by the United States and its negotiation partners and would respond within weeks, The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday.

"We see the potential for a new round of talks," Mottaki said at Iran's U.N. mission in New York. "The two sides are trying to see if they can arrive at a new modality."

He also held out the possibility of Iran freezing its uranium enrichment work during negotiations.

U.S. officials reacted cautiously to Mottaki's comments, emphasizing other Iranian leaders offered no indication they would suspend the activity, the main precondition to talks between Iran and the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council -- the United States, France, Russia, Britain and China -- plus Germany, the Journal said.

The incentives package includes help in developing Iran's civilian nuclear program and economic assistance. Iran countered with a package focusing on developing international groups to address issues such as storing nuclear fuel to efforts to stabilize the Middle East.

Mottaki said melding "the two packages can put together a good agenda."