Iran rules out temporary suspension of uranium enrichment
Iran would not suspend uranium enrichment to facilitate negotiations with the world over the incentives package, a government spokesman said today.
He indicated the country would rebuff US conditions for taking part in such negotiations.
Iran has not responded formally to the package of incentives that is intended to persuade it to step back from enrichment.
But it said yesterday that parts of the offer were acceptable, others were not, and the key issue of uranium enrichment – a process that can make fuel for a nuclear power plant or material for an atomic bomb – needed clarification.
At a news conference today, Iranian spokesman Gholam Hossein Elham gave no indication of when Iran would reply to the package presented on June 6, but he ruled out any temporary suspension of enrichment.
The United States has offered to drop its long-standing opposition to direct negotiations with Iran and join the talks over its nuclear programme if the country suspends enrichment.
Iran has an “obvious right” to enrich uranium, Elham said when asked if Iran would suspend enrichment for the sake of negotiations.
“Our country will not negotiate over its obvious rights.”
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