Iran needs time to consider a European package designed to persuade it to suspend its nuclear enrichment programme in line with a UN request, Hossein Mousavian, foreign policy chief of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, said yesterday.

Mr Mousavian said a "high-level" meeting would be needed to reach any conclusion over the European package, which reportedly includes the supply of enriched uranium and subsequent removal of spent rods, the transfer of nuclear technology including a light water reactor, and a trade agreement.