Iran terms nuclear talks under threat as meaningless

A top Iranian negotiator has said nuclear negotiations with the European Union (EU) will be meaningless as long as the EU threatens to refer Iran's case to the UN Security Council, the English-language daily Tehran Times reported on Wednesday.

"It would be ridiculous for Iran to engage in the next round of nuclear talks with the European trio (of Britain, France and Germany) under the threat of referral to the United Nations Security Council," Javad Vaeedi, deputy secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, was quoted as saying.

"As long as the Europeans keep bringing up the Sept. 24 International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) resolution, the process of negotiations is unnatural and continuing the talks would be pointless," Vaeedi added.

The IAEA resolution urges Iran to re-suspend all activities related to uranium enrichment, warning a rejection could mean a referral of its case to the UN Security Council.

Vaeedi indicated that providing an objective guarantee for the production of nuclear fuel in Iran would be "the main and only subject of the nuclear negotiations" with the EU.

The European trio on Sunday officially informed Iran that they had agreed to resume nuclear talks in December, which have been stranded since Iran in early August resumed uranium conversion activities, a precursor to uranium enrichment.

Vaeedi confirmed that the next round of negotiations would be held in December but said the exact time and location of the talks had not been decided.

The IAEA's board of governors decided to postpone the referral of Iran's case last Thursday in order to offer more time for Tehran and the EU to discuss a Russian proposal, which allows Iran to conduct uranium conversion activities on condition that the enrichment stage be moved to Russia.

Iran has categorically rejected the suggestion of enrichment abroad.

Source: Xinhua