Iran talks tough on nukes after meeting with Russia

Iran Focus: Tehran, Iran, Mar. 02 – Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani reaffirmed that the Islamic Republic could never be forced to give up its “right” to carry out uranium enrichment, the crucial factor in a deal laid out by Russia aimed at resolving the international deadlock over Tehran’s suspected nuclear weapons program, the state-owned Mehr news agency reported on Thursday.
Iran Focus

Tehran, Iran, Mar. 02 – Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani reaffirmed that the Islamic Republic could never be forced to give up its “right” to carry out uranium enrichment, the crucial factor in a deal laid out by Russia aimed at resolving the international deadlock over Tehran’s suspected nuclear weapons program, the state-owned Mehr news agency reported on Thursday.

Larijani, who is the secretary general of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, met his Russian counterpart in Moscow on Wednesday to continue a third round of negotiations over a Russian proposal which involves Iran enriching uranium exclusively on Russian soil. The talks ended with no new result.

Larijani said, however, that negotiations would continue with Russia over the deal.

Analysts believe that Tehran is trying to buy time to avoid United Nations Security Council action when the board of governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency meet in Vienna on Monday to discuss Iran’s nuclear program. The 35-nation board may call on the Security Council to consider placing economic sanctions on Iran.

Carrying out uranium enrichment on Iranian soil was Iran’s “unalienable right”, he said.

“Countries that have a peaceful [nuclear”> program can never be prevented from carrying out enrichment”, he added.

Larijani will meet with the Foreign Ministers of Britain, France, and Germany, along with European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana on Friday in Vienna to hold 11th hour talks in an effort to prevent Tehran’s nuclear file from going to the Security Council.

IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei issued a statement on Thursday welcoming the meeting and called on Iran to “demonstrate full transparency toward the IAEA to resolve important outstanding issues related to its nuclear program”.

“I also call on Iran to take all the necessary confidence building measures required to assure the international community of the peaceful nature of its nuclear program”, ElBaradei said.