The Hindu : International : Iran not to give up n-research

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Monday, Mar 06, 2006

International

International

Iran not to give up n-research

Atul Aneja

No reason for concern, says Teheran

DUBAI: Disregarding exhortations from key western countries to freeze uranium enrichment, Iran on the eve of a crucial meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board has reiterated that it would not give up nuclear research. It signalled that talks with Moscow over conducting mainstream enrichment on Russian soil had not reached a dead-end. But it pointed out that the resumption of uranium enrichment in minute quantities for research purposes at Natanz had also come under sharp focus.

The U.S. and the European Union have spearheaded a campaign demanding that Iran should not be permitted to conduct enrichment for research as it could give it the "breakout capacity" or the know-how to make atomic weapons, though not the material itself.

Iran's Foreign Office spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi said on Sunday that conducting research was Teheran's bottom line.

The statement comes a day ahead of the IAEA meeting, which could refer its case to the U.N. Security Council for action. "Continuation of research is among our enshrined rights.

It is not part of industrial enrichment and all countries can launch research activities," he said.

Mr. Asefi stressed that there was no reason for concern as the IAEA was supervising the research work. He acknowledged that the Iranians and the Europeans differed on the issue, but insisted that Iran would not budge. "The West must not make the mistake that we are seeking to bargain. We have certain rights and the Westerners must accept those," Mr. Asefi said, repeating Iran's view that such work was permissible under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) that it had signed.

Head of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani also warned on Sunday that "If Iran's nuclear dossier is referred to the U.N. Security Council, [large scale] uranium enrichment would be resumed."

He warned that "If they [the U.S. and its allies] want to use force, we will pursue our own path. On February 4, the IAEA's 35-member Board had "reported" Iran to the Security Council but said that diplomacy should be allowed to work for a month.

On Monday, the Board would discuss the report on Iran that IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei's would present, and decide what measures, if any, to adopt.

China, meanwhile, has urged Iran to resume negotiations with Russia and the E.U.

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