Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid-Reza Asefi told reporters at his weekly press conference in the Iranian capital that Tehran did not fear its nuclear file being referred to the United Nations Security Council where its could face sanctions.
Asefi said that Irans resumption of nuclear research at Natanz was completely legal.
The International Atomic Energy Agency has called on Iran to suspend all uranium enrichment activities, fearing it may be seeking to develop a nuclear bomb.
Asefi said, however, that Iran was entitled to carry out such work and would never abandon this right.
He insisted that nuclear research and development was not the same as enrichment.
The Foreign Ministry spokesman said that talks with the European Union were the best way to resolve the dispute, but, he added that the subject of any negotiations had to be the resumption of uranium enrichment on Iranian soil.
We do not fear Irans file being taken to the Security Council. Our red line is to preserve the interests of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
We find it unacceptable to ignore our legal rights, he added.
Asefi also rejected a Russian proposal aimed at finding a solution to the international deadlock over the program as immature and incomplete.
