Iran threatened on Tuesday to quit the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and resume uranium enrichment after the European Union (EU) pressed the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to report the Iranian nuclear issue to the UN Security Council.

"If the nuclear issue is reported to the UN Security Council, Iran will be left with no choice. We undoubtedly have to get out of the framework of the NPT and the additional protocol ... and resume enrichment," Iran's top nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani told a news conference.

Larijani also threatened to prohibit surprise inspections of Iran's nuclear facilities if Tehran's nuclear case is referred to the Security Council for possible sanctions.

However, the negotiator stressed that Iran is still ready to hold talks with the European trio of Britain, France and Germany.

"We can not be engaged with talks based on intimidation. The Europeans ask us to come to the negotiating table, but they threaten at the same time, which is not the atmosphere of negotiations, but of dictation," Larijani said.

Tehran's threat came as the EU's nuclear talks with Tehran have grounded to a halt over Iran's resumption of suspended enrichment activities at Isfahan last month.

Earlier in the day, the EU trio delivered a draft resolution to the 35-member IAEA Board of Governors, urging the UN nuclear watchdog to report "Iran's many failures and breaches of its obligations to comply with its NPT Safeguards Agreement."

Diplomats said the EU, backed by the United States and Japan, made the call based on Article 12 of the IAEA Statute, which reads, "The (IAEA) board shall report the non-compliance to all members and to the Security Council and General Assembly of the United Nations."

The United States and the EU suspect Iran's nuclear fuel program is aimed at developing atomic weapons. Tehran denies the charge, saying its program is for the peaceful generation of electricity.

The draft also demands a UN Security Council mandate to urge Iran to grant the IAEA access to locations in the country beyond Iran's legal obligations and to "re-establish full and sustained suspension of all enrichment-related and reprocessing activities," which could produce atomic bomb fuel.

Meanwhile, the ongoing IAEA board meeting, which began on Monday, might vote on the resolution, a source from the IAEA told Xinhua.

A diplomat from the IAEA, who asked not to be identified, said the discussions between the delegations to the IAEA board are under way, and he "heard" that the vote would be held on the last day of the session, which is due on Friday.

The diplomat said a majority vote, or 18 out of 35 members of the IAEA board, is required to pass the resolution.

However, IAEA Chief Mohamed ElBaradei said on Monday that there is hope for a resumption of nuclear negotiations with Iran, adding that the issue should be settled through dialogue.

Iran's official IRNA news agency also reported that the group of states representing G77 on the IAEA board had voiced opposition to referring Iran's case to the Security Council.

"India, leading the board's G77 members, announced that New Delhi has no inclination to pile up pressures on Iran and wants settlement of the crisis within the IAEA framework," IRNA quoted a diplomat as saying.

Source: Xinhua