TEHRAN, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki Saturday invited the European countries to discuss why Tehran was still keeping on with the uranium enrichment work when faced international sanction threats.

    "We see no logic to suspend the enrichment, as it is a legal action for Iran under membership of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)," Mottaki told reporters in a press conference after a meeting with his visiting Belarusian counterpart Sergei Martynov. "But however, we are ready to talk about the reasons for enrichment work," he added.

    "I think dialogue is the best method to reach an understanding, we recommend the West to return to talks and avoid testing a path they have already tested," Mottaki told reporters, without elaborating what path he referred.

    But he is very likely to suggest the recent European Union's statement concerning possible sanctions on Tehran.

    EU foreign ministers issued a statement on Oct. 17, saying that if Iran does not comply with UN Security Council's requirements, the EU would "work for the adoption of measures under Article 41 of the UN Charter," which stipulates economic and diplomatic sanctions.

    "The time for language of force is over. The West has tested threats in our region. We invite them to sincerely return to talks," Mottaki said, responding to EU's discussion of possible sanctions against Tehran.

    Iran's top officials have criticized EU's statement, saying it would destroy the opportunity to resolve Iran's nuclear issue peacefully and worsen the crisis in Mideast.

    President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Friday Iran would not stop its efforts to enrich uranium and to produce nuclear fuel because the West did not guarantee to give Iran nuclear fuel.

    He also termed the UN Security Council and its decisions against Iran as "illegitimate."

    The U.S. has accused Iran of secretly developing nuclear weapons under a civilian front, a charge categorically denied by Tehran, which says that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.

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