Russia

The White House says security guarantees are not being considered in talks with Iran regarding its disputed nuclear program.

Speaking from Israel where he is traveling with U.S. President George Bush, White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe said that the best way for Iran to guarantee its security is to stop threatening to wipe Israel off the map and to stop trying to destabilize Iraq, Afghanistan and Lebanon.

Iran's top national security official held talks Monday with the acting secretary of Russia's National Security Council aimed to defuse international concerns about Tehran's nuclear program.

Iran's chief nuclear negotiator, Saeed Jalili, said his talks with Russia's Valentin Sobolev focused on what he called a package of "serious" Iranian proposals designed to minimize the nuclear threat around the world.

Jalili did not disclose details about the package.