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Iran stresses bid to continue nuclear cooperation with IAEA

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, Oct 18, IRNA -- Hassan Rowhani, Iran`s pointman on nuclear 
issues, reiterated Monday the country`s determination to cooperate 
with the UN nuclear watchdog agency, but cautioned against holding the
issue `hostage` to political motivations. 
"We will continue our active cooperation with the International 
Atomic Energy Agency, but any resolution over Iran`s nuclear file at 
the board of governors must not be held hostage to political issues," 
he said in his meeting with Indian National Security Adviser Jyotindra
Nath Dixit. 
The official stressed that Iran will defend is legitimate 
ights within th framework of nuclear treaties and continue its 
peaceful nuclear activities by securing world`s confidence. 
Iran says its nuclear program is aimed at power generation, 
rejecting US accusations that the program is a cover to build an 
atomic bomb. 
In a decision to prove its good faith, Tehran has voluntarily 
suspended uranium enrichment and manufacture of centrifuge components.
Moreover, the Islamic Republic has signed an additional protocol 
to the Non-Proliferation Treaty, allowing snap inspections of its 
nuclear activities. 
The country, however, persists that it wanted to master nuclear 
fuel cycle, which is permitted under the NPT and to which the 
Islamic Republic is a signatory. 
On Sunday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi said it had
not received any European proposal as it was said that Britain, France
and Germany were expected to offer Iran incentives to persuade it to 
halt its fuel cycle work. 
The official, however, stressed that Tehran would accept such 
proposals only if they did not deprive the country of its legitimate 
right to peaceful nuclear technology. 
The country is wearing out a November 25 deadline set by the IAEA 
board of governors for full review of Iran`s nuclear program and 
calling on Tehran to immediately suspend all uranium enrichment 
activities. 
Iran has dismissed the resolution, saying it does not accept any 
obligation in this regard. 
"Any resolution which seeks to bind us to suspension (of uranium 
enrichment) is unacceptable and we will not accept such an 
obligation," Rowhani, who is secretary of the Supreme National 
Security Council, has already said. 
"The Islamic Republic has never accepted the suspension under a 
resolution, thus the country cannot be obliged on that and Iran can 
only be asked through negotiations to (continue) the suspension," he 
said after the IAEA adopted its resolution on September 18. 
Head of the foreign policy committee at Iran`s Supreme National 
Security Council Hossein Mousavian has said that Tehran is ready to 
suspend uranium enrichment in order to build confidence, but rejected 
to halt such activities for good. 
"Iran is ready to build trust so that its uranium enrichment 
activities remain peaceful, but we do not agree to halting uranium 
enrichment (for good)," he said last Sunday. 
"We do not reject suspension of uranium enrichment for confidence 
building, provided that Iran`s full right to nuclear fuel cycle is 
recognized," Mousavian added. 
The official reiterated Iran`s rejection of the resolution, saying
the country would only consider it within the framework of political 
understanding. 
"We do not accept any request for suspension of uranium enrichment
within the framework of the IAEA treaties, since uranium enrichment 
is legitimate according to the agency`s laws and the resolution has 
gone beyond them," he said. 
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