Tehran rejects preconditions for nuclear talks

Iran will not accept any precondition or pressure for resuming talks on its nuclear ambition, Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid-Reza Asefi said on Tuesday.

He reiterated that Iran would not resume negotiations with the European Union trio -- Britain, France and Germany -- as long as the EU side insisted that Iran abandon nuclear fuel cycle work.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran will not accept any negotiations with preconditions attached," Asefi told his weekly press conference.

"Iran's right to nuclear energy is inalienable and legal within the framework of international rules and the Non-Proliferation Treaty," he added. "The Europeans themselves suspended nuclear talks but if they are ready to continue negotiations Iran sees no obstacle," he said.

The talks between the EU trio and Iran has come to a standstill since Tehran restarted uranium conversion work on Aug. 8, prompting the EU to join the US call for bringing Iran's nuclear case before the UN Security Council.

Though the EU dropped demand for an immediate referral, a resolution adopted on Sept. 24 by the board of governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency asked Iran to resume suspension of all uranium enrichment related activities and seek a negotiable solution within the framework of the UN nuclear watchdog.

Iran suspended all enrichment related work in November 2004 as a confidence-building measure while talks with the EU last.

The United States accused Iran of seeking nuclear weapons but Iran rejected the charge and insisted its nuclear program was for fully peaceful purposes.

Source: Xinhua