Related: Iran threatens to end diplomacy if referred to UNSC

             Iran threatens to halt co-op if nuclear case referred

             Iran says it has begun enrichment-related research: IAEA

Iran's top nuclear Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (R) gestures as he leaves the tomb of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic, in Tehran, Iran January 31, 2006. (Photo: Xinhua)

    TEHRAN, Jan. 31 (Xinhuanet) -- Iran threatened late Tuesday to begin blocking snap inspections of its facilities by U.N. monitors as of Saturday if its nuclear dossier is referred to the U.N. Security Council.

    Iran's Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki made the threat while speaking on a local television. He is anticipating a session of the IAEA's 35-nation board of governors in Vienna on Thursday, where Iran's nuclear issue may be referred to the U.N. Security Council.

    "Reporting or referring Iran to the U.N. Security Council by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is of equal weight. If it happens, the government will cease voluntary cooperation with the IAEA from Saturday, or Feb. 4," said Mottaki.

    He, meanwhile, reiterated the country's insistence that it would carry on with its renewed nuclear research, saying "we have told everyone with whom we have discussed this that there is no question of our re-suspending our nuclear research activities.  

    "That is irreversible. It must be stated that nuclear research is different than industrial production of combustible material,"said Mottaki.

    Earlier in the day, Iran's top nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani also reiterated that Tehran would halt the cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog and suspend all confidence-building measures if its nuclear case was referred to the U.N. Security Council.  

    "If the case was referred or reported to the Security Council, we will have to restart all voluntarily suspended work and stopthe implementation of the additional protocol (of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty)," Larijani told reporters.

    Iran suspended all uranium enrichment related activities and allowed snap inspection of its nuclear sites under the NPT additional protocol to pave the way for the nuclear negotiation with the EU trio of Britain, France and Germany in late 2004. 

    The EU trio and the United States have been pushing for the IAEA to refer Iran's case to the Security Council after Iran resumed  nuclear fuel research on Jan. 10, escalating crisis overits disputed nuclear program. 

    Iran has denied seeking nuclear weapons, but insisted on itslegal right to peaceful nuclear technology.  Enditem