TEHRAN, Aug. 27 (Xinhuanet) -- Iran's chief nuclear negotiator said here on Saturday that Iran would withdraw from the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) if its nuclear case was referred to the UN Security Council, local media reported.

    "Iran does not welcome such an event (the referral) ...others should not think that this will frighten our great nation. If they try to refer Iran to the council, Iran keeps it as its right to quit the NPT," Ali Larijani was quoted as saying by the semi-official Mehr news agency.

    Larijani stressed that "many would lose" if Iran's nuclear issue was regarded as a security issue.

    The negotiator made the remarks upon his arrival in Tehran afterwrapping up his first visit to the headquarters of theInternational Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna since he was appointed as chief negotiator earlier this month.

    During his one-day visit, Larijani held talks with IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei.

    He revealed that he had informed ElBaradei of Iran's seriousness in its decision to master a complete nuclear fuel cycle, which it considers as part of its national ideals.

    Larijani also said that Iran were willing to hold nuclear negotiations with "any European and non-European groups"."Iran's negotiating partners need not be limited to the three European countries of Britain, Germany and France since other European countries can also play a favorable role in Iran's nuclear issue," he said.

    "I do not agree that the European countries are acting on the behalf of all nations," the negotiator added.

    Larijani further said that President Mahmud Ahmadinejad had planned to present the IAEA and the EU trio with a new initiative to resolve the nuclear dossier, terming it as a breakthrough."Ahmadinejad's new proposals will lead to a breakthrough and major changes in negotiations over the country's nuclear program,"Larijani said.

    Meanwhile, the official IRNA news agency reported that Larijani stressed in the same situation that Iran "is serious in achieving nuclear know-how and regards it as a legal right of the Iraniannation."

    On Friday, Larijani described in Vienna the outcome of his meeting with ElBaradei as positive and stressed that Iran had been fully committed to the international regulations."Iran has complied with all regulations of the agency and will do the same in the future ... but will not tolerate imposition beyond that," he said.

    Larijani has also invited ElBaradei to visit Iran to continue negotiations, which has been accepted by the IAEA chief, IRNA said. Iran resumed uranium conversion activities on Aug. 8, prompting the IAEA board of governors' approval of a resolution on Aug. 11 which urged Iran to re-establish full suspension of all enrichment-related activities.

    Tehran has rejected the resolution but expressed willingness to cooperate and negotiate with the international community.The EU trio, the longtime broker of Iran's nuclear issue, have been trying but in vain to persuade Iran to give up its efforts to build nuclear reactors, including activities related to uranium enrichment, which the Europeans hold could provide objective guarantees that Iran's nuclear research would not be used formilitary purposes.

    Iran has stated repeatedly and firmly that it will never give upits legitimate rights enshrined by the NPT. The United States accuses Iran of developing nuclear weapons under the disguise of civil usage, a charge rejected by Tehran. Enditem