Iran’s top nuclear negotiator, Ali Larijani, meets EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana for talks on the country’s controversial nuclear programme at dinner on Thursday.

The parliamentary speaker told a media briefing that technical, rather than political, reasons had postponed a Wednesday meeting. This was not unwillingness to negotiate over the country's nuclear intentions, he said.

In Washington, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told reporters that Iran should not try to stall the talks. Major powers still expected an answer to the package of incentives presented to Iran before the G8 leaders’ meeting later this month, Rice said.