Official: Iran to resume nuclear enrichment

Iran Focus: Tehran, Iran, Feb. 01 – Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator confirmed on Wednesday that the Islamic Republic would resume uranium enrichment activities and end snap inspections of its nuclear facilities if its was either referred or reported to the United Nations Security Council. Iran Focus

Tehran, Iran, Feb. 01 – Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator confirmed on Wednesday that the Islamic Republic would resume uranium enrichment activities and end snap inspections of its nuclear facilities if its was either referred or reported to the United Nations Security Council.

The board of governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency are expected to report Iran to the Security Council in their February 2-3 meeting for breaching an agreement to suspend nuclear weapons-related activities.

Ali Larijani, the Secretary-General of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, told reporters, “If in any way Iran’s nuclear file is sent to the Security Council, in accordance with the law passed in the Majlis (Parliament) we will stop adhering to the [nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty’s”> Additional Protocol which will therefore reduce the level of cooperation between Iran and the IAEA, and we will have to remove all suspensions, including on industrial-scale enrichment”, the state-run ISNA news agency reported.

The Additional Protocol which gives IAEA inspectors the right to carry out snap inspections of declared nuclear facilities has not been officially ratified by Iran, which only voluntarily enforces it.

Larijani warned European states, which have led nuclear negotiations with Tehran over the standoff, not to go down the path of force.

He threatened that Tehran would remove IAEA cameras at nuclear sites and restrict international monitors from inspecting military sites, if the case ended up at the Security Council.

In remarks that strengthened claims that Tehran’s nuclear pursuit was a strategic decision rather than a tactical one, Iran’s national security chief said, “No government in the Islamic Republic of Iran can abandon our absolute right to use nuclear technology”.

Larijani went on to accuse United States President George W. Bush of “blatantly lying” that Tehran was looking to develop nuclear weapons.