Iran's top nuclear negotiator said yesterday Tehran was ready to enter "serious negotiations" over its nuclear programme, but did not say whether it was willing to suspend uranium enrichment.

However, Iran did not release details of the proposal.

Ali Larijani, top nuclear negotiator, hand-delivered Iran's response to the Western package of nuclear incentives to ambassadors from Britain, China, Russia, France, Germany and Switzerland. n A situation in which Iran seized a Romanian oil rig and its crew yesterday stemmed from a commercial dispute, Romania admitted.