Iran won't budge on nuke power

2006-03-05 18:29

Tehran - Iran has dismissed calls that it stop nuclear research and vowed to resume industrial-scale atomic fuel production if the United Nations nuclear watchdog ships its case to the security council.

Iran was reported to the council last month after failing to convince the international community that its nuclear experts were building power stations and not arms.

The security council, which has the power to impose sanctions, is waiting until after Monday's meeting of the board of governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) before deciding what action to take.

Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran's supreme national security council, told a news conference on Sunday: "Going to the security council will certainly not make Iran go back on research and development.

"If our case is referred to the security council we will resume (large-scale) uranium enrichment," he said.

Enough material for warhead

Larijani appeared to be distinguishing between being "reported" to UN council, meaning its case could be handled also by the IAEA and "referral" which would mean the case was solely in the hands of the security council.

Many Western diplomats argue this Iranian distinction does not exist and the security council decides what happens next.

Although diplomats say Iran is still some way from being able to resume atomic fuel production on a commercial scale, scientists say the devices used in research could produce enough material for a warhead within a year.

Larijani reiterated that the world's fourth-biggest crude exporter had no immediate plans to use its oil as a weapon, but that the option was still open.

"We are not interested in using oil as a weapon... but if the conditions change, it could affect our decision," he said, without specifying what he meant by a change in conditions.

'Avoid getting political'

Earlier in the day, foreign ministry spokesperson Hamid Reza Asefi warned IAEA members not to be swayed by political interests on Monday.

"We recommend that the IAEA should avoid getting political and should just continue its expert, technical job," he told a news conference.

"Tomorrow will be a major test for the IAEA to show how it defends its members... and its own credibility," he added.

- Reuters