Iran will not give in to Western nuclear demands - Khamenei
By DPA
Aug 19, 2003
TEHRAN - Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei rejected Western demands that Teheran stop its nuclear activities, the news agency IRNA reported Tuesday.
In a related development, the news Web site Baztab reported that the foreign ministers of Britain, France, Germany and Russia have sent an urgent letter to Teheran asking the Iranian government to sign the international nuclear inspection protocol.
Khamenei told visiting Iranian diplomats from abroad that Iran's nuclear projects were peaceful and that the country was not after atomic weapons.
Khamenei, who has the final say on all state affairs, termed the demands that Iran to stop its nuclear activities as groundless and unfair and therefore unacceptable.
While accusing especially the United States of demanding the international community act according to its will, he considered any kind of concessions to the U.S. as a grave strategic mistake.
Baztab reported that the letters from European leaders were considered as too important to be answered by Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi.
President Mohammad Khatami himself took charge and assured the four ministers of the peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear programs, Baztab said.
There was no official reaction from the Iranian foreign ministry to the Baztab report.
Last week, IRNA reported that Iran was planning to build a second nuclear plant in the southern Gulf port of Bushehr, to provide 1,000 megawatts to the country's electricity network.
Iran's first nuclear plant, also in Bushehr, will have a capacity of 6,000 megawatts when it is completed.
Iran is under intense international pressure to sign an additional protocol and allow unannounced inspections of its nuclear sites to prove it is not trying to develop nuclear weapons.
The issue is expected to be settled before the International Atomic Energy Agency board meets next month as the Islamic state has been threatened with international political isolation.
The issue has triggered intense debate within Iran.
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