Iran Postpones Nuclear Talks With E.U. Official

BRUSSELS, July 5 -- Iran postponed for a day talks considered crucial to easing its standoff with the West over its nuclear program, citing annoyance with the activities of exiled opposition groups, European Union officials said Wednesday.

The E.U. foreign policy chief, Javier Solana, expressed surprise that Iran's top nuclear negotiator, Ali Larijani, did not appear for their scheduled meeting Wednesday. Iran said the meeting would go ahead on Thursday.

Western diplomats have threatened to reinitiate efforts toward possible U.N. Security Council sanctions unless Iran stops its nuclear activities and agrees to talks by July 12. Iran says its nuclear program, which includes uranium enrichment, is intended solely for generating electricity, but some Western officials say it is a cover for developing weapons.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Iran needed to give "a substantive response" to a Western overture meant to end the crisis before leaders of the Group of Eight leading industrialized nations meet this month in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Solana and Larijani are to discuss a package of incentives put forward by the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany and presented to Iran by Solana in June.