BEIJING, Aug. 8 -- Iranian authorities say they plan to resume uranium conversion this week. Tehran says it's not concerned that it could be referred to the UN Security Council and hit with sanctions. The remarks followed Tehran's rejection of the European Union's latest proposal, which offers energy and other long-term support in exchange for an end to Iran's nuclear program.

    Britain, Germany and France are calling for an emergency meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency. But Tehran is urging the European powers not to destroy two years of negotiations on the issue.

    Iran's new president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, had been expected to take a tougher line in its two-year negotiations with the EU.

    At his swearing-in on Saturday, his remarks confirmed that view.

    Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said: "We are rational and we respect international regulations, but we will never surrender to decisions beyond international rules which are aimed at violating our nation's rights."

    Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi added that Iran was "not in the least worried" if its case is referred to the UN Security Council. He said such a move would be unlawful and politically motivated.

    But Britain, France and Germany, who are negotiating on the EU's behalf, have threatened to do just that, if Iran goes ahead with plans to break U.N. seals and resume work at the Isfahan uranium conversion plant.

    The Iranian moves comes after it rejected a 35-page EU proposal on the grounds that it did not recognize Iran's right to nuclear energy, permitted under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

    Spokesman of Iran's Foreign Ministry Hamid Reza Asefi said: "It's up to the Europeans which way to go. They can choose cooperation and negotiation or they can choose to go another way. Iran is ready for everything. In the meantime, we advise Europeans to be more rational so that two years of fruitful negotiations will not be endangered. If the Europeans have no interest in continuing to talk, Iran will exercise other options. But I want to say that Iran wants to continuing negotiating with Europe."

    The spokesman said I-A-E-A technicians would be at the Isfahan plant on Monday to install additional surveillance cameras.

    As soon as the equipment is in place, he said Iran would restart nuclear work.

(Source: CCTV.com)