AFP: A top Iranian nuclear official warned Wednesday that the European Union’s mounting pressure on the Islamic republic to limit its nuclear activities would only be counter-productive. “The rougher and faster these countries make the game, the more decisive we become to operate the rest of our nuclear facilities,” the deputy head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organisation, Mohammad Saidi, told the student agency ISNA. AFP
TEHRAN – A top Iranian nuclear official warned Wednesday that the European Union’s mounting pressure on the Islamic republic to limit its nuclear activities would only be counter-productive.
“The rougher and faster these countries make the game, the more decisive we become to operate the rest of our nuclear facilities,” the deputy head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organisation, Mohammad Saidi, told the student agency ISNA.
Iran is at loggerheads with the international community over its nuclear programme after resuming uranium ore conversion — the precursor to the ultra-sensitive process of uranium enrichment — ending a nine-month freeze agreed during talks with Britain, France and Germany.
Accused by the United States of seeking nuclear weapons, Tehran insists it has the right to nuclear technology for peaceful purposes under the Non-Proliferation Treaty. But Iran has so far maintained its suspension of uranium enrichment at its Natanz facility.
The International Atomic Energy Agency has called on Iran to halt all nuclear fuel cycle work and ordered the UN watchdog to report on September 3 on Tehran’s compliance with international safeguards.
Iran has refused to backtrack, despite the risk of being referred to the UN Security Council.
“Legally the IAEA is not in a position to talk about a violation,” Saidi said, calling on the Europeans to deal with Iran’s nuclear issue “logically and not to jeopardise and agitate the region.”
“Despite the possibility of another resolution in the September session of the (IAEA) board of governors to call on Iran for re-suspension of the Isfahan installations, we will definitely not accept such call,” he said.
