Iran threatens to end nuke checks

Iran threatened Sunday to halt spot checks of its nuclear facilities after the UN watchdog passed a resolution requiring Teheran to be reported to the Security Council over what the West fears is a covert atomic arms programme.

Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said the resolution, approved by a vote and not the usual consensus, proved that Britain, France and Germany, the key three European countries negotiating with Iran, have violated previous agreements.

"The three European countries implemented a planned scenario, already determined by the United States," he said on state-run television.

Iran currently implements the Additional Protocol to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) allowing UN inspectors to make unannounced checks of nuclear facilities. The protocol has not yet been ratified by Iran's parliament.

"Iran has no legal commitment to continue implementation of the Additional Protocol," student news agency ISNA quoted Mottaki as saying. "The resolution is illegal, illogical and politically motivated."

But Mottaki said Iran had no intention to pull out of the NPT if the Islamic Republic falls foul of the Security Council.

"Iran will respect the NPT and will continue to co-operate with the IAEA," Mottaki said.

The resolution called on Iran to suspend its uranium enrichment-related activities and to resume talks with France, Britain and Germany, which collapsed after two years when Iran resumed parts of its sensitive nuclear activities last month.

Enriched uranium can be used to make atomic weapons.

Mottaki said Iran would not yield to international pressure to abandon its peaceful nuclear activities, but was ready to continue talks within the framework of the NPT.

"We will never exclude talks. But Iran will include new countries in talks," Mottaki said.

Mottaki predicted a rough ride at the next IAEA board of governors meeting in November, when Iran's case could be referred to the Security Council.

"We will use all diplomatic measures to preserve our right (to have nuclear technology)."

Hardline lawmakers, who control a majority in Iran's parliament, called on the government Sunday to resume uranium enrichment activities.

"It was an unfair ... resolution. We urge the government to nullify the voluntary suspension of Iran's peaceful nuclear work phase by phase," said a statement, signed by some 180 deputies.

Iran had repeatedly warned that it would start uranium enrichment, suspended under last year's agreement with the EU foreign ministers, if its case was sent to the Security Council.

"If the EU refers Iran's case to the Council, we will adopt appropriate measures," Mottaki said.

"Iran will announce its final decision after the return of its delegation from Vienna and necessary reviews."

The 35-member IAEA board voted with 22 for, 12 abstain and 1 against to approve the document.

China abstained in Saturday's vote. "The Chinese Government has insisted consistently that the Iranian nuclear issue should be appropriately resolved through negotiations and co-operation within the framework of the IAEA," said Wu Hailong, China's UN representative in Vienna, after the vote.

Source: China Daily