Iran reported offer to resume talks 'good news': EU

(BRUSSELS) - The European Union welcomed reports Tuesday that Iran was ready to resume talks on its disputed nuclear activities as "good news" but said it had yet to receive the official word from Tehran.

Any talks with Iran must also focus on the country's nuclear programme and nothing else, Maja Kocijancic, the spokeswoman for EU foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton, told a news conference.

"We have said that we were ready to meet with the Iranian side," Kocijancic said.

The spokeswoman recalled that Ashton had written a letter to Iran's chief nuclear negotiator, Saeed Jalili, last month inviting him to return to the negotiating table.

"Ms Ashton has written to Mr Jalili to invite him to meet as soon as possible," Kocijancic said. "But it is clear that it would have to be on the nuclear programme of Iran."

Iran has demanded in the past that any talks with world powers on its nuclear activities include discussions on other subjects such as how to achieve world peace.

"If they are ready to meet with Ms Ashton, that is good news. But we have not received their formal response yet," Kocijancic said.

Iran's state news agency IRNA reported that Jalili told Ashton in a letter that Iran was ready to resume talks over its atomic programme with six world powers from September 1 should a number of conditions be met.

Jalili said the six -- the United States, China, Russia, Britain, France and Germany -- must answer whether the talks are aimed at "engagement and cooperation or continued confrontation and hostility towards Iranians."

The United States, European Union powers and Israel suspect Iran is hiding a secret nuclear weapons programme, but Tehran denies the charge, insisting that it is a peaceful drive to provide civilian energy.