Iran said yesterday that demands from the UN atomic watchdog to freeze all uranium enrichment work that can be used for nuclear weapons were "illegal," but left open the possibility it was ready to negotiate on the issue.
Yesterday's remarks from Hasan Rowhani, Iran's top nuclear negotiator, included defiance and boasting that Iran had advanced its nuclear know-how despite international attempts to rein it in, but stopped short of outright rejection of the UN International Atomic Energy Agency's demands. Such ambiguity has led US and other officials to accuse Iran of hiding its nuclear intentions and trying to stonewall the international community. Iran says its nuclear program is only for energy.
Rowhani spoke a day after the IAEA governing board issued its demands and said it would judge Tehran's compliance in two months.
"We are committed to the suspension of actual enrichment but we have no decision to expand the suspension," Rowhani said. "This demand is illegal and does not put any obligation on Iran. The IAEA board of governors has no right to make such a suspension obligatory for any country."
"Actual enrichment" refers to the injection of uranium gas into centrifuges. Iran's other activities, such as production, assembly and testing of centrifuges, were likely to continue, Rowhani said, adding if the IAEA referred questions about its nuclear activities to the UN Security Council for sanctions, "Iran will stop implementing the additional protocol and will limit its cooperation with the IAEA."
Under the additional protocol, Iran is required to allow unfettered inspections of its nuclear facilities.
Iran is not prohibited from enrichment under the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. But it has for months faced pressure to suspend such activities as a good-faith gesture amid concerns it is trying to produce nuclear weapons.
US officials are insisting that at its Nov. 25 meeting, the 35-member IAEA board refer Iran to the Security Council if Tehran doesn't comply with the demand to suspend uranium enrichment and related activities.
Rowhani said dialogue, not demands, may persuade Iran to make some concessions.
"No resolution can impose an obligation on Iran to suspend activities. If there is a way, it will be the way of dialogue. This is an important message for the Europeans and others," he said.
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