Turkey urges Iran to accept incentives, warns on U.S. attack

Gul and Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad met on Thursday to discuss the international row over Tehran's nuclear works and bilateral relations. Â

 

Two leaders, however, failed to sign agreements on multi-billion dollars energy agreement, a move came after the U.S. pressure who seeks to increase the isolation of Iran, some media reports earlier suggested.

 

"We welcome and support the latest (incentives) package submitted by the five members of the UN Security Council and Germany. We see this (package) as a window of oppurtunity. You should accept this package and focus on the economic development of your country," Hurriyet quoted Gul as telling Ahmedinejad in the meeting.

 

Western powers suspect Tehran's nuclear program is a cover for the development of the atomic bomb, claims strongly rejected by Iran.

 

Iran is risking a possible fourth round of UN sanctions after it failed to give a clear response to an incentives package offered by six major world powers in return for halting its uranium enrichment activities.

 

Earlier this week, Iran said it was ready to hold more talks with the European Union on the package offered by Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States.

 

Gul also said it is not a nice development that the circulation of the speculation that the U.S. could hold a military operation against Iran.

 

"U.S. President George W. Bush could bomb your country just before he leaves the office. This would seriously harm your country and your people as well as the region," Gul added, the report said.

 

Gul also suggested that the Iranian president should not rely on the dovish comments of the U.S. presidential hopeful Barack Obama.

 

Turkey has been taking a more active role in the dispute, self-described as a role "of consolidating and facilitating" the talks rather than formal mediation.

 

Turkey believes it is Iran's legitimate right to pursue nuclear works but is against any country in the region to acquire nuclear weapons.

 

Ahmedinejad, in return, reiterated that the Iran's nuclear program is completely peaceful and they would not accept to freeze their uranium enrichment works. Gul said another terminology could be used for the word "freeze."

 

Both leaders underlined the importance of the continuation of dialogue to resolve the dispute.