TEHRAN, Jan. 5 (Xinhuanet) -- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Thursday reiterated determination to defend its right to developing peaceful nuclear technology, the official IRNA news agency reported.

   "The Iranian nation will not let the enemies deprive it of such a legal right," Ahmadinejad was quoted as saying at a gathering in the central city of Qom.

   Ahmadinejad said that the United States accusation that Iran was seeking nuclear weapons was "unfounded" and aimed at depriving Iran of its legal rights to peaceful nuclear technology.

   "Today those who have stockpiled nuclear, chemical and biological weapons in their arsenals and used them against defenseless people several times have claims over Iran and intend to deprive Iran of its inalienable right," Ahmadinejad said.

   The president's remarks came two days after Iran decided to resume nuclear fuel research as of Jan. 9, a move which led to immediate warnings from the U.S., the European Union (EU) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

   Ali Larijani, Iran's chief nuclear negotiator, said on Wednesday that Tehran's decision to resume nuclear fuel research was "not negotiable".

   The EU warned on Wednesday that Iran's tough position would endanger the planned talks on Jan. 18 about reviving negotiations on Iran's controversial nuclear program. 

   The negotiations between Iran and the EU trio of Britain, France and Germany broke off after Tehran restarted uranium conversion last August.

   Iran suspended all uranium enrichment related activities in October 2004 as confidence-building measure before entering talks with the EU.

   Uranium conversion is a precursor to enriching uranium to fuel nuclear power reactors or make atom bombs.

   Iran has insisted on enriching uranium on its territory for peaceful purposes as a right under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Enditem