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Rafsanjani warns Europeans over enrichment deal

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, Dec 5, IRNA -- Former President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani 
warned the Europeans Sunday to honor their commitments towards Iran or
see an agreement with Tehran on the country`s suspension of uranium 
enrichment go down the drain. 
"We hope the Europeans will deliver on their commitments; 
otherwise it is likely that the results (of the agreement) are 
spoilt," the official, who has not ruled out standing in the next 
presidential race, told Spain`s new ambassador to Tehran in a meeting.
Rafsanjani, the chairman of the arbitrative Expediency Council, 
described Iran`s agreement to suspend uranium enrichment as a `very 
hard` decision for the establishment. 
"Despite this, the establishment accepted this in order to give 
confidence-building a chance. 
"Given Iran`s very serious and appropriate cooperation, the 
(International Atomic Energy) Agency and the European Union, must now 
have become convinced that Iran has no nuclear military intentions," 
he added. 
On Monday, Iran accepted a resolution, prepared by the European 
trio of Germany, France and Britain to suspend all its uranium 
enrichment activities. 
But Rafsanjani told worshipers on Friday that Iran would resume 
enriching uranium after a maximum of six months, reaffirming 
Tehran`s position that Tehran`s freeze on nuclear fuel cycle work is 
only temporary. 
"The Islamic Republic has agreed to suspend enrichment activities 
for a maximum six-month period to assure the IAEA that Iran`s nuclear 
activities are peaceful," he said. 
Asked to comment on the remarks, Foreign Ministry spokesman 
Hamid Reza Asefi told reporters Sunday that Mr. Rafsanjani mentioned 
the six months only as an `example`. 
The deal came on the back of strenuous negotiations between Iran 
and the EU3 (Britain, Germany and France) after Tehran demanded that 
20 of its centrifuges be excluded from its promised suspension of 
uranium enrichment for research and development. 
Uranium enrichment is allowed under the nuclear Non-Proliferation 
Treaty (NPT), to which Iran is a signatory, and the country wants it 
as part of its efforts to master a nuclear fuel cycle. 
But as a confidence-building measure, Iran agreed in its meeting 
with the three EU states in Paris recently to voluntarily suspend all 
activities related to uranium enrichment. 
In return, the Europeans undertook to award Tehran with political 
and economic incentives. 
The EU incentives reportedly include a guaranteed supply of 
reactor fuel, assistance to construction of a light-water power 
reactor and a resumption of stalled trade talks. 
Tehran insists that its nuclear program is solely aimed at power 
generation and strongly rejects US claims that the program is a 
front to build atomic bombs. 
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