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Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Hassan Rowhani said Sunday that Iran is ready to continue negotiations with the European Union (EU) but will not compromise on its legitimate nuclear rights, the official IRNA news agency reported.
Rowhani reiterated Iran was determined to resume part of enrichment-related activities as the nuclear talks came to a standstill.
"Iran's decision to resume activities in uranium conversion facility still holds," he said. "We are willing to hold negotiations, but we cannot negotiate under the present conditions."
Iran suspended its uranium enrichment activities last November to pave the way for talks with the EU trio Britain, France and Germany on its disputed nuclear program.
However, Iran refused to permanently freeze the uranium enrichment in the following talks, insisting it will never give up its legitimate rights on peaceful nuclear technology.
Instead, Tehran proposed to keep limited enrichment uranium activities under supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), a suggestion turned down by the EU.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid-Reza Asefi warned the EU on Sunday that the next round of negotiators between the two sides will be the last chance to save the stalled nuclear talks.
"Iran has decided to negotiate with the European trio for one more time upon their request, and the upcoming meeting will be their last chance," he told a weekly news briefing.
Iran's parliament, angry at EU for dragging out negotiations, passed a bill on Sunday to press the government to resume uranium enrichment activities.
Washington and the EU have threatened to refer Iran's case to the UN Security Council for possible sanctions if Iran restarts enrichment-related work.
The EU shared Washington's suspicions that Iran's uranium enrichment program could be used to make nuclear weapons.
Tehran claims its nuclear program is intended only for producing fuel for power plant.
(Xinhua News Agency May 16, 2005)
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