Iran holds tough line as EU nuclear talks resume
(Reuters)
Updated: 2005-12-21 18:56

LITTLE OPTIMISM

EU diplomats said the likely outcome would be a decision, taken back in EU capitals, on whether to meet again in January.

Tehran's unswerving rejection of compromise proposals to have its uranium purified by others abroad, to minimize chances of it grasping the complex technology needed to make bombs, has depressed prospects for a diplomatic solution.

"When we talk about (wanting) nuclear technology it means that enrichment to produce fuel for our reactors should be done inside Iran and it means having the complete nuclear fuel cycle," Mottaki said.

He added that Iran would not again suspend uranium ore processing at its Isfahan plant, the resumption of which in August led to the breakdown of the EU-Iran talks, and intended to restart preliminary work on enrichment technology.

"Isfahan is a done deal," he said. "The research and building parts for (enrichment) centrifuges is not the same as enriching uranium. When the time comes we will announce the resumption of these activities," he added.

Diplomats said recent public statements by Iranian officials gave little cause for optimism.

"The problem is, Iran's hardliners were encouraged to believe they could inch forward toward enrichment when they managed to restart uranium processing without provoking a referral to the U.N. Security Council," one diplomat said.

U.S.-EU moves to send Iran's case to the Security Council for possible sanctions have stumbled on resistance by Russia, China and developing nations on the board of the watchdog International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

The IAEA board opted in November to put off any referral to give time for promoting an EU-backed proposal for Russia to enrich Iran's uranium under a joint venture.

But Tehran has rebuffed the idea and interest in it seems to have waned in Moscow, which has major energy and arms links with Iran, including a $1 billion nuclear reactor under construction and a $1 billion package of missiles and other hardware.

Some analysts believe that if dialogue runs aground again, the way would be cleared to an emergency IAEA board session and vote to put Iran in Security Council hands. But Russia and China could veto sanctions as permanent powers on the Council.