Posted on 04/11/2005 7:28:21 AM PDT by Interesting Times
TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran will not abandon uranium enrichment, despite its negotiations with the European Union on its nuclear program, a senior official said on Sunday.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi said Iran would never renounce its right to carry out the process, but was hopeful about the outcome of the talks with Europe.
Britain, France and Germany, representing the European Union, have been trying to persuade Tehran to scrap all parts of its atomic fuel cycle, particularly uranium enrichment which can be used to make atomic bombs as well as fuel for power plants.
Asefi said uranium enrichment was Iran's legitimate right, reiterating comments made almost daily by Iranian officials.
"Iran will never give up its (uranium) enrichment activities," Asefi told a weekly news conference.
Washington, which suspects Iran of using civilian atomic power as cover for a weapons program, backs the talks but wants Iran to give up its disputed nuclear activities.
Iran, which insists its atomic ambitions are entirely peaceful, has agreed to suspend uranium enrichment while the talks with the EU continue but insists the freeze is temporary.
"Iran's uranium enrichment suspension is only for a short period of time," Asefi said. "It will be until reaching an agreement with the EU."
The European Union says that if Iran resumes enrichment, it will support a U.S. plan to refer Tehran to the U.N. Security Council, which could impose economic sanctions.
Officials from Britain, France, Germany and Iran are to meet later this month to continue the talks.
Asefi said Iran was hopeful about the next meeting, saying: "The prospect of the talks is more positive than before."
"We hope to reach a clear solution at the next meeting on April 19," Asefi said.
He denied reports of Iran purchasing 12 cruise missiles from Ukraine.
The Financial Times newspaper last month quoted Ukraine's prosecutor-general as saying that 18 X-55 cruise missiles, were exported in 2001 to Iran and China. It said none were exported with the nuclear warheads they were designed to carry.
"The government, the foreign and other ministries have not made such a deal with Ukraine," Asefi said.
Don't miss Jerry Corsi tonight on Hannity & Colmes, starting around 9:30 Eastern.
Very excellent point. Carter threw out the Shah and brought in the mullahs with a vengeance. Its arguable you would not have today's terrorist problem without Carter. You certainly would not have all the problems caused by Iran, which used to be our staunch military ally in the MidEast.
Atomic Iran meets US Fist of Steel. See post #3.
BTTT!!!!!!!
Do they cooperate with China... ?
We should send them the good stuff, (plutonium)... special delivery.
Hoo-boy, this is not surprising, and at the same time I can't believe it's happening. When we have to go in and fight the rotting scum, it'll be Iraq all over again: "What WMD? There's no WMD! You can't go in without WMD!"
Kudos! Thank you for the ping!
If they really want Uranium 'enrichment' I can think of a few ways to accomodate them.
That looks like special delivery to me.
Very personal.
Iran is stalling for time. Wonder where they will test their nuke(s).
Thanks for the ping.
"Carter threw out the Shah and brought in the mullahs with a vengeance"
You are kidding me right. There is no evidence Carter had anything to do with the ayatollah's rise to power. You can claim he didn't do enough to keep the Shah in power, but the real force behind the coup was not the US government but the fundamentalist whackos in Iran. You do realize that the Shah was near death during this period of time. Carter may have been foolish and incompetant but to claim that carter threw the shah out and brought in the mullahs is absured.
Boom.
Repeated B52 strikes will get the Mullahs attention if they try to attack Israel
Amen
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.