Iran agrees to Solana's nuclear trip, no date set

European Union Foreign Policy Chief Javier Solana gestures during a meeting with students of Externado University in Bogota, Colombia, May 15, 2008.

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran said on Tuesday it had agreed to a visit by EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana to submit an upgraded package of incentives aimed at coaxing the country into halting uranium enrichment, a news agency reported.

Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said no date had been yet been set for Solana's trip.

The five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council -- the United States, France, Britain, China and Russia -- and Germany, known as the P5+1, offered a package to Iran in 2006 that also required Iran to halt enrichment.

Tehran rejected those proposals in 2006 and the latest package is an enhanced version of that earlier offer.

"Solana has asked to visit Iran to deliver the P5+1 nuclear incentives package. We have accepted his request," Mottaki told reporters, the students news agency ISNA said.

European diplomats have also told Reuters that Solana was still waiting for Iran to set a time for the handover.

Tehran has so far rejected accepting the main Western demand for a suspension of uranium enrichment, which the West says is a cover to build weapons.

Iran has also handed over what it says is its "proposed package for constructive negotiations" which -- besides Iran's vision on how to settle global problems such as an effective fight against terrorism -- includes the nuclear row.

Western diplomats have been underwhelmed by Iran's offer. One diplomat said it "contained nothing new" and ignored key demands of the West.

An Iranian official told Reuters the aim of Iran's proposal was to kick start negotiations with world powers rather than offering a specific solution to the nuclear dispute.

"We have heard that the (West's) incentives package asks for a temporary freeze (of sensitive nuclear work) during talks. But Iran will never accept it, and time is on Iran's side," he said.

"We are moving ahead and it is in the West's interest to return to the table (for talks) as soon as possible without any preconditions."

The U.N. Security Council has imposed three sanctions resolutions on Iran for defying to halt the sensitive activity.

Iran, the world's fourth largest oil producer, insists its enrichment activity is aimed at generating electricity and says the program is a national right that it will not give up.

(Writing by Parisa Hafezi, Editing by Robert Woodward)