Iran says determined to resume uranium enrichment

Reuters: Iran is determined to resume uranium enrichment whether talks with the European Union over its nuclear programme succeed or fail, the Foreign Ministry said on Sunday. Last November, Tehran suspended uranium enrichment — which could produce nuclear fuel for power plants or bombs — while it negotiated a settlement to its nuclear dispute with the EU. Reuters

TEHRAN – Iran is determined to resume uranium enrichment whether talks with the European Union over its nuclear programme succeed or fail, the Foreign Ministry said on Sunday.

Last November, Tehran suspended uranium enrichment — which could produce nuclear fuel for power plants or bombs — while it negotiated a settlement to its nuclear dispute with the EU.

The EU and Washington want Iran to scrap all nuclear fuel work, fearing it is developing the capability to make nuclear weapons. Iran says its nuclear facilities will be used only to generate electricity.

“We will resume uranium enrichment after a while,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi told a weekly news conference. “It is on our agenda whether the talks reach a result or not.

Iranian and EU negotiators are due to resume talks in London on April 29.

“It’s clear the current (enrichment) suspension cannot last long. Naturally the suspension will continue during the talks but Iran will never allow the talks to go on for an unreasonable amount of time,” Asefi said.