Iran rejects U.K. pressure to end uranium enrichment program

Bloomberg: Iran rejected renewed U.K. pressure to scrap its uranium enrichment program and said Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s government should adopt a “realistic attitude” instead of issuing “repetitive statements.”

By Ladane Nasseri

March 18 (Bloomberg) — Iran rejected renewed U.K. pressure to scrap its uranium enrichment program and said Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s government should adopt a “realistic attitude” instead of issuing “repetitive statements.”

Aliasghar Soltanieh, Iran’s ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency, said his country is cooperating with the United Nations nuclear watchdog and is committed to the Non- Proliferation Treaty.

“There has been no evidence of diversion of nuclear material” for building atomic weapons, Soltanieh told the state- run Press TV satellite channel yesterday.

He was speaking hours after Brown called on Iran to end uranium enrichment in return for western help to develop a civil nuclear plan. The U.K., the U.S. and other allies say the nuclear program is a cover for weapons development. The government in Tehran rejects the accusation and says the project is intended to generate electricity for its growing population.

Enriched uranium can be used to fuel a reactor and, at higher concentrations, may form the core of a bomb.

In his speech in London yesterday, Brown said Iran would get guaranteed supplies of uranium from nuclear states, providing safeguards were in place. Iran, under UN investigation since 2003, says it has the right as an NPT signatory to pursue enrichment on its own soil.