Iran refuses to suspend sensitive nuclear work

TEHERAN – AFP- Iran repeated on Thursday after talks with the head of the UN atomic watchdog Mohamed ElBaradei that it would not bow to demands it freeze uranium enrichment.

Iran’s top nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani told reporters that the UN Security Council’s call for Iran to return to a freeze on the sensitive work “was not very important”.

“Every action must be reasonable and logical. We are cooperating in a constructive manner with the (International Atomic Energy) agency, and Mr ElBaradei is here and the inspectors and cameras are here, so such a proposal is not very important to solve the problem,” he told reporters.

The 24-hour visit by the head of the IAEA comes two days after Iran announced its scientists had successfully enriched uranium to make nuclear fuel.

The Islamic republic insists its programme is a peaceful bid to generate electricity, but the enrichment process can be extended to make the fissile core of a nuclear warhead.

The UN Security Council has set April 28 as a deadline for Tehran to halt enrichment.

ElBaradei said that talks on the “difficult and important” issue would continue.

“I can tell you on the issue of cooperation to resolve outstanding issues, Mr Larijani renewed his commitment that the Islamic republic of Iran will accelerate its efforts to work with us in next couple of weeks to provide clarity to the issue that we need to clarify,” he said.

“On the other issue of confidence-building measures, including suspension of enrichment, we had a good discussion. We exchanged views on different processes and modalities for Iran to come to terms with the request of the international community and to work with the international community,” the IAEA chief said.

“To build confidence we agreed that we will continue an intensive dialogue in the next few weeks with the aim of being able to move forward on this difficult and important issue.”