Iran to press on with nuke work

2005-08-16 18:22

Tehran - Iran's new hardliner nuclear boss, Ali Larijani, vowed that Tehran would press on with nuclear fuel work as protestors formed a human chain on Tuesday at a uranium facility at the centre of its standoff with the West.

Larijani signalled in his first interview since being named on Monday as supreme national security council head that Iran would not roll back its August 8 resumption of uranium conversion, but that he wanted to continue talks with the European Union.

He said: "Iran does not accept the resolution" which the International Atomic Energy Organisation (IAEA) passed last week, urging Tehran to suspend all such activities.

The Europeans "must understand that the Iranian government is determined to preserve the nuclear fuel production cycle".

Channel of negotiations

Larijani took over from pragmatist Hassan Rowhani.

He said: "We insist on Natanz," the site of Iran's uranium enrichment factory, "but this must go through the channel of negotiations".

He acknowledged it was "theoretically possible" that the Islamic republic could be referred to the United Nations security council for possible sanctions about its controversial nuclear activities.

Iran was at loggerheads with the international community about its nuclear programme after resuming the uranium conversion activities, ending a nine-month freeze agreed on during talks with the Europeans led by Rowhani.

Nuke technology for peaceful purposes

Accused by the United States of seeking nuclear weapons, Tehran insisted it had the right to nuclear technology for peaceful purposes under the Non-Proliferation Treaty.

In defiance of the West, Iran last week removed the IAEA seals at its controversial nuclear facility in Isfahan, even though United States President George W Bush had refused to rule out the use of force against Tehran.

About 500 demonstrators formed a human chain on Tuesday outside the gates of the plant in Isfahan, 400km south of the capital.

Protesters chanted: "Nuclear energy is our right. Let's stop the negotiations" with the EU.

They cried, carrying a banner which read "Isfahan is only the beginning".

The demonstrators were adamant that Iran should not bow to pressure.

Iran 'will not make the war'

Ali Naderi, a 22-year-old political sciences student, said: "We know all about economic sanctions. They have taught us to cope on our own.

"It's not us who will make war, but neither war nor sanctions frighten us."

Before his appointment, Larijani was on record as a staunch critic of the troubled talks with the EU on providing reassurances that Iran's nuclear programme was exclusively civilian in return for a package of incentives.

But, his first comments as secretary of Iran's top policy-making body, the supreme national security council, he appeared to signal no immediate break with policies under former reformist president Mohammad Khatami.

Larijani said negotiations were "the right method".

- AFP