TEHRAN, May 22 (Xinhuanet) -- Iran threatened on Sunday to take "unilateral measures" if the next round of nuclear talks with the three European Union powers ended in failure.

    "Europeans know if the negotiations yield no fruits at last, the issue will go to a crisis that they cannot overcome and Iran will take unilateral measures," Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid-Reza Asefi told reporters.

    Iran and the EU will kick off a new round of nuclear talks on Wednesday as a last-ditch effort to fend off a final showdown. 

    Calling on Europe to seize the "last chance", Asefi said Iran's next move will depend on the outcome of Wednesday's discussions.

    Iran, impatient of the "prolonged" nuclear talks after its proposal of keeping restricted enrichment program was turned down repeatedly by the EU, threatened in late April that it would definitely resume part of its uranium enrichment activities.  

    This announcement drew immediate condemnation from the European trio of Britain, France and Germany, who warned to back a US call for Iran's nuclear case to be referred to the UN Security Council for possible sanctions if the resumption comes true.

    The EU has been persuading Iran to give up its uranium enrichment program in exchange for political and economic incentive since Iran suspended uranium enrichment activities last November as only a "temporary and voluntary" move.

    The EU shared the US fear that Iran's nuclear program could be used to develop nuclear weapons.

    However, Iran insists it will never give up its legitimate rights to uranium enrichment which Tehran says is for civilian use only.  Enditem