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Iran breaks UN seals on atomic plant
(Reuters)
Updated: 2005-08-11 08:57

GERMAN APPEAL

The German government said Iran had rejected the EU3's incentives after only a "superficial review" and appealed to Tehran to look at the proposals again.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi said the European demands were "illogical and arrogant".

"The resumption of activities at Isfahan nuclear plant is a step to protect the nation's rights. Pressures and threats can not make us put our people's rights on auction," Asefi said.

An aerial photograph shows Iran's Uranium Conversion Facility, just outside the city of Isfahan, 410 kilometers, (255 miles), south of Capital Tehran, Iran, in this Wednesday, March 30, 2005, file photo.
An aerial photograph shows Iran's Uranium Conversion Facility, just outside the city of Isfahan, 410 kilometers, (255 miles), south of Capital Tehran, Iran, in this Wednesday, March 30, 2005, file photo. [AP/file]
The IAEA board convened an emergency meeting on Tuesday but quickly adjourned to give the trio time to negotiate with other key members of the 35-nation board about the text of an IAEA resolution urging Iran to immediately resume the suspension.

One EU diplomat said the United States, Russia and China and the other Western countries on the IAEA board all supported its toughly worded draft resolution, but developing countries like India, Brazil and others want the language to be less harsh.

"The non-aligned countries want some of the language changed in the draft resolution," the diplomat said. "For example, they want the words 'expresses serious concern' about Iran's actions changed to 'notes' Iran's actions. This is obviously not acceptable to us."

The diplomat said he expected the EU to formally submit the draft resolution to the IAEA on Wednesday evening for possible approval when the board meets on Thursday.

He said the resolution would not refer Iran's case to the U.N. Security Council, which has the power to impose sanctions.

If Iran refused to resume the suspension, however, the board would probably meet in early September and send the matter to the U.N. council, he said.

Iran denies accusations that its nuclear programme is a front for bomb-making. It says it needs to develop nuclear power as an alternative energy source to meet booming electricity demand and preserve its oil and gas reserves for export.

Iran's new President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad defended the resumption of work at the plant, which turns uranium concentrate into a gas that can then be enriched into reactor or bomb fuel.

But he said Iran wanted to continue the EU talks and that he had new ideas on how to resolve the standoff with the West.

"I have new initiatives and proposals which I will present after my government takes office," he said in a telephone conversation with U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, the semi-official ISNA students news agency reported.

U.S. President George W. Bush told reporters in Crawford, Texas, the Iranian president's comments were a positive sign.


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