US Secretary of State Condoleezza
Rice (R) meets with EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana at the State
Department in Washington,DC, Jan. 18, 2006. Key European countries and US are in favor of referring
Tehran to the UN Security Council over its resumption of nuke
activities, while Russia and China urge reopening of
talks to end the deadlock. (Xinhua/AFP
photo) | TEHRAN, Jan. 18
(Xinhuanet) -- Iran remains open to seeking a compromise over its disputed
nuclear program, but its enrichment research would not be suspended, the
country's top nuclear negotiator has said.
"We have not closed the path to compromise. In
principle, I believe some complicated international issues can be best solved
through talks," Ali Larijani told the BBC in an interview on Wednesday.
"For obtaining nuclear fuel there are many methods
and formulas...if they want guarantees of no diversion of nuclear fuel,we can
reach a formula acceptable to both sides in talks," said Larijani.
"I don't think the path is closed," he added.
Larijani also confirmed in the interview that Iran
would not suspend its enrichment research under any circumstances, saying "they
should not ask a brave nation with very good scientists to expect not to engage
in nuclear research."
However, the United States and the European Union
(EU) said there was no point in further negotiations unless Iran offered fresh
proposals.
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said there
was "not much to talk about," adding that the EU had made clear Iran had crossed
an important threshold.
"Iran must not be allowed to get a nuclear weapon. It
must not be allowed to pursue activities that might lead to a nuclear weapon and
on that we are fully united," she said.
Meanwhile, France, Germany and Britain have been
circulating a draft IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) resolution on
referring Iran to the UN Security Council that can apply sanctions.
The IAEA, the UN's atomic watchdog, will hold an
emergency meeting on Feb. 2 to discuss whether to refer Iran to the UN Security
Council.
While the United States is likely to join European
powers in pushing for referral, China and Russia on Monday opposed stern
measures against Iran.
Russia said a compromise offer is still on the table,
and China has urged all parties to continue negotiations. Both countries hold
the power of veto on the UN Security Council.
In response to the possible referral, Iranian
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said it was clear the threats by Western countries
were "politically motivated."
"We are asking them to step down from their ivory
towers and act with a little logic," he said.
Iran has denies allegations that the country is
seeking to produce nuclear weapons, saying it just wants the technology for
energy purposes only.
But the West fears Iran would extend the enrichment
process to weapons production. Enditem
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