Iran Rejects Calls for Quick Nuke Answer

President Vladimir Putin attends a world summit of religious leaders in Moscow, Monday, July 3, 2006. The forum, which opened Monday in Moscow, brought together over 150 religious figures from more than 40 countries, the ITAR-Tass news agency reported. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko) (Alexander Zemlianichenko - AP)

Jiang called on world powers to "exercise restraint" in the dispute, and Putin's statement appeared aimed at playing down hopes for a breakthrough before the G-8 summit in his hometown, St. Petersburg, where the issue is likely to top the agenda.

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said during a visit to Slovenia that he hoped a positive response from Iran would come before the meeting. And British Prime Minister Tony Blair told lawmakers, "I want a response as soon as possible."

EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana is expected to press Iran's top nuclear negotiator Wednesday to accept the incentives package.

EU officials said Tuesday that they expected Iran's Ali Larijani to seek clarification of several points of the package _ and perhaps come up with a counterproposal _ instead of formally responding to the offer.

The six nations that endorsed the package in Vienna on June 1 insist that Iran suspend _ but not permanently halt _ its nascent enrichment activities before talks begin. Iran has said it will never give up its right under the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty to enrich uranium and produce nuclear fuel, but has indicated that it may temporarily suspend large-scale enrichment to ease tensions.

Uranium enrichment can produce fuel for nuclear power plants or material for atomic bombs. Tehran insists its program is for peaceful purposes only.

Possible U.N.-mandated sanctions include a visa ban on government officials, freezing assets, blocking financial transactions by government figures and those involved in the country's nuclear program, an arms embargo and a blockade on the shipping of refined oil products to Iran.

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Associated Press writers Anton Troianovski in Moscow and George Jahn in Vienna, Austria contributed to this report.