Iran Urges Patience As It Considers Deal

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, left, shakes hands with Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul at the start of their meeting, in Tehran, Iran, Sunday, June 25, 2006. (AP Photo) (Vahid Salemi - AP)

TEHRAN, Iran -- Iran said Sunday it was seriously considering incentives to halt its nuclear program and asked the United States and other nations to be patient while Tehran weighs its response.

But Iran's oil minister warned again that his petroleum-rich country could disrupt the world's oil supply if the standoff leads to open conflict.

"If the country's interests are attacked, we will use oil as a weapon," state television quoted Kazem Vaziri Hamaneh as saying.

That would drive oil prices above $100 a barrel, he said.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi told reporters that specialized committees in key state agencies were studying the nuclear incentives offered June 6 by the United States, Britain, China, France, Russia and Germany.

"The package contains legal, political and economic dimensions. All its dimensions have to be studied," Asefi said. "We recommend to Europeans that accuracy should not be sacrificed for the sake of speed."

Asefi said the package required careful study before Tehran delivered its formal response.

"The reason that there can't be a speedy response is that we have to hold serious discussions on the contents," he said. "We are taking it seriously."

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said Iran would take until mid-August to respond to the incentives package, prompting President Bush to accuse Tehran of dragging its feet.

Although details have not been made public, diplomats familiar with its contents have said the offer includes economic incentives and a provision for the United States to offer Iran some nuclear technology, lift some sanctions and join direct negotiations.

The proposal calls for Iran to suspend uranium enrichment _ which can produce peaceful reactor fuel or fissile bomb material _ during negotiations.

It calls for a long-term moratorium on enrichment until the international community is convinced that Tehran's nuclear aims are peaceful. Iran says it only wants to generate nuclear energy.