DUBAI: Iran declared on Sunday that it had stopped all voluntary cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). This follows the agency's decision on Saturday to refer it to the United Nations Security Council on its nuclear programme. Teheran, however, said it was ready to hold exploratory talks with Russia to ease tensions.

"We have ended all voluntary cooperation we have been extending to the IAEA in the past two-and-a-half to three years on the basis of the President's order," Iran's Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said.

The declaration implies that Teheran will begin full-scale production of enriched uranium. It was halted following talks with Germany, France and Britain in 2003. It would also end the IAEA's short-notice inspections of Iran's facilities, under the framework of the Additional Protocol to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) signed by it.

"We do not have any obligation towards the additional protocol [any more]," Mr. Mottaki said.

Still subscribes to NPT

Iran fully subscribed to the NPT but would resist moves to deny it the right to pursue a peaceful nuclear programme on its soil, the Minister said.

"Adoption of the policy of resistance doesn't mean we are on non-speaking terms or non-cooperative. We had two options. One was resistance and the other surrender. We chose resistance," he said.

At a press meet on Sunday, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi said Teheran was ready to consider the Russian proposal provided it was suitably amended in line with the latest developments.

Russia has offered to carry out uranium enrichment on its territory in a joint venture with Iran. This has the backing of the United States and the European Union, as it promises to eliminate the possibility of Iran diverting enriched uranium for making weapons.

"The situation has changed. Still, we will attend talks with Russia on February 16," Mr. Asefi said. However, "the proposal has to conform itself with the new circumstances," the spokesman said.

India's Ambassador in Teheran Manbir Singh told the Islamic Republic News Agency that India was not under any pressure to vote for Iran's referral to the Security Council. "We are for peace and stability in the region, [and are] willing to invite Iran and the negotiation parties to dialogue."

Asked whether the Indian vote would have an impact on the Iran-India gas pipeline project, he said it was in the interest of the people of India, Pakistan and Iran.

To a question whether India's vote meant that it had chosen the U.S. nuclear technology over Iranian gas, he said: "That's not true, we need both."

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