US not ready to comment on Iran nuclear talks letter

Washington is not ready to give its assessment of a letter from Iran outlining that country's readiness for talks about its nuclear program with the five permanent UN Security Council members and Germany. The statement came from US State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland at a press conference on Thursday. Nuland said US officials were in the process of studying the letter but must coordinate their position with partner nations, which they are currently doing. The letter came as a response to a message from EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton to the Iranian government, proposing a renewal of talks on Iran’s nuclear program. When Nuland was asked by a journalist why so much time is needed to study a 196-word letter, she explained that Washington needed to coordinate with its partners. She noted that the official reaction to Iran’s letter is due no earlier than Monday.