Manouchehr Mottaki, Iran's foreign minister, said yesterday Tehran was ready to negotiate about suspending uranium enrichment, the most sensitive part of its nuclear programme.

Iranian officials had previously ruled out the step, which the UN Security Council has demanded Iran take by August 31 before agreeing to talks about its atomic programme. Tehran is also due by August 22 to respond to an incentive package offered by the P5+1 - the permanent five members of the Security Council plus Germany - to persuade it to curb the programme.