Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi said here Monday that the next round of nuclear negotiations between Iran and the European Union (EU) was scheduled on May 23, the official IRNA news agency reported.

"The talks will be held at ministerial level, and Iran's Secretary of Supreme National Security Council Hassan Rowhani is to take part in this round of talks," Kharazi was quoted as saying.

Kharazi said that the place of negotiations had not been determined yet.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid-Reza Asefi said on Sunday that the next meeting, upon the request of the EU, the UN and some countries such as Russia and Spain, would be Europe's last chance to save its diplomatic efforts on the Iranian nuclear issue.

Rowhani also said that Iran was ready to continue negotiations with Europe but would not compromise on its legal and legitimate international rights.

The bilateral negotiations on Iran's nuclear case reached a deadlock after Tehran, impatient of the "prolonged negotiations", in late April announced an immediate resumption of some suspended uranium enrichment activities.

Iran frozed its enrichment activities on Nov. 22, 2004 in exchange for EU's promised economic and technological incentives after the two sides reached an indeed fragile agreement in Paris.

However, during the consequent talks, the EU turned down Tehran's proposal of keeping restricted enrichment activities while providing other guarantees of the peaceful nature of its nuclear program, which angered Iran.

The United States has accused Iran of developing nuclear weapons, but Iran rejected the charge as politically motivated.

Tehran insists that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes and it will never give up its rights on nuclear energy.

Source: Xinhua