Iran rules out nuclear halt despite incentives

Iran said yesterday it would not consider any incentives offered by world powers that violated its right to nuclear technology, ruling out a precondition to halt atomic work the West believes is aimed at making bombs.

Six world powers agreed on Friday to offer a new package of incentives to coax Iran to halt uranium enrichment, a process which can make fuel for power plants or material for warheads.

Iran, the world's fourth largest oil producer, insists its enrichment activity is aimed at generating electricity, and says the program is a national right that it will not give up.