IRAN: Iran insists its nuclear plans are peaceful

Iranian chief nuclear negotiator says Iran defends its right to peaceful nuclear technology. Iran said on Saturday (December 1) that it would safeguard its right to nuclear technology regardless of whether European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana gave a positive report about his latest round of talks with Tehran. Solana said he was disappointed after a meeting on Friday (November 30) in London with Iranian chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili that was seen as a last chance to avert U.S. pressure for more United Nations sanctions over Iran's disputed atomic programme. On his return to Tehran, Jalili said on Saturday: "Currently there is a positive atmosphere based on the agency's (IAEA's) report and our logical behaviour for solving the previous problems within the framework of the NPT (nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty) and also because we have fulfilled all of our duties." The absence of a breakthrough at the talks means six world powers meeting in Paris on Saturday (December 1) will try to agree new penalties to propose to the United Nations, despite differences in their approach to halting Iran's nuclear programme. The United States is leading efforts to isolate Iran because it believes the Islamic Republic is seeking to build atomic bombs. Tehran insists its nuclear plans are peaceful. Iran insists it will not suspend uranium enrichment as demanded by the U.N. Security Council, saying that it is a national right. Enrichment is the part of Iran's programme that most worries the West because it has both civilian and military uses. Jalili did not say what action Iran would take if a third U.N. sanctions resolution was passed, but Iranian officials have previously said Tehran could review its co-operation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Iran is working with the IAEA on a plan agreed in August to answer outstanding questions about its nuclear programme. IAEA Director Mohamed ElBaradei, summarising his report on Iran to the agency's 35-nation governing board, said in November Tehran was now making "good progress" towards resolving long outstanding questions by the end of this year. The six powers meeting in Paris -- Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States -- have said they would pass a new U.N. resolution if there was no progress over Iran's nuclear programme by December. But they remain at odds over how soon to resort to more U.N. penalties, or how harsh they should be. Russia and China, and to a lesser extent Germany, have close commercial ties with Iran and have taken a less hawkish approach than the United States, Britain and France.

ITN Source | December 1, 2007

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