DUBAI: Inspectors belonging to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have not found "any concrete proof" that Iran was developing nuclear weapons, notwithstanding a report by the agency that Tehran had not halted the enrichment of uranium.

A senior official close to the IAEA told journalists on condition of anonymity that "inspectors have not uncovered any concrete proof that Iran's nuclear programme is of a military nature."

The IAEA said in a report on Thursday that "Iran has not suspended its enrichment-related activities."

The United Nations Security Council Resolution 1696 had urged Iran to halt all nuclear enrichment and reprocessing work by August 31. The IAEA had been asked to make an assessment of Iran's compliance to this resolution.

In Tehran, the deputy chief of Iran's nuclear agency, Mohammad Saeedi, said the IAEA report was "not negative."

In a public speech, Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said: "Iran will not back down an inch in the face of intimidation, aggression and will not accept being deprived of its rights."

Later in the day, the State-run radio quoted him as saying from the northern town of Mahabad that "Iran will never renounce peaceful nuclear energy and its absolute right" to it.

Mr. Ahmadinejad said the U.S. approach towards resolving global problems was flawed. "The problem is that American leaders think they can solve all the problems by using force and their arsenal."

He added that "times have changed and we are in an epoch of culture, thought and logic, and it is because of this that they refuse to have a debate with us."

Earlier this week, the White House rejected the Iranian President's offer of having a live televised debate with U.S. President George Bush.

Contrary to the approach adopted by the U.S., which has been advocating sanctions, Russia and China have been seeking negotiations to defuse the crisis.

Aware of their reluctance to impose stringent curbs on Iran, the U.S. and its European allies are debating the enforcement of an ascending system of sanctions, which could begin with the imposition of travel ban on Iranian nuclear officials.

However, dismissing the threat of sanctions, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi said, "the Islamic republic is capable enough of confronting any challenges arising from sanctions." He added that, "sanctions will make the country stronger and the nation will find the way out of these pressures."

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail