Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki met with officials of the European Union on Monday as well as his Belgian counterpart, Karel De Gucht, in Brussels in an attempt to resolve the crisis surrounding Iran's nuclear program.
Amongst the European delegation was EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana and Belgian Foreign Minister and head of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe Karel De Gucht.
Mottaki stated during the talks, according to IRNA, that the "Zionist regime is an illegal regime."
De Gucht, for his part, described Iran as a "very important country," and said "We need Iran as a responsible partner."
He also added that the comments of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's on Israel were "unnaceptable," referring to several comments made by the Iranian leader that the State of Israel "should be wiped off the map."
European spokesman Thomas Bickel, a spokesman stated, according to the AP, that Iran had initiated the meeting, reflecting its readiness to return to the negotiating table with its western counterparts.
Monday's meeting in Brussels coincides with a separate visit by Iranian negotiators to Russia to discuss Moscow's proposal to allow Iran to continue its nuclear work on Russian soil.
The Russian proposal, which both the United States and EU have supported, would ensure proper oversight of Iran's nuclear work.
Iran's response to the proposal thus far has been lukewarm, though IRNA recently quoted Mottaki as saying that the proposal was being considered.
“If the Russian plan, with supplementary indicators, leads to a comprehensive proposal, then we could say it will have Iran’s interest,” he said, adding, “The partners in the plan, the duration of the project, location of enrichment and consensus of all related parties would be significant to Iran.”
Bomb explodes in Iranian oil city
Meanwhile on Sunday, a bomb exploded in the southwestern oil city of Ahvaz.
The bomb reportedly caused damage to nearby structures, but resulted in no injuries.
The predominantly Arab Khuzestan region in which Ahvaz lies has witnessed ongoing unrest since April, when rumors that the Iranian government planned to transfer non-Arabs to the area to dilute Arab influence there surfaced.
Iran accuses Britain of stirring unrest in Khuzestan, a charge London has denied.
