IRAN: Iran announces it will continue nuclear research and devlopment on the eve of Monday's meeting of the UN's nuclear watchdog

Record ID: 214293

  • Title: IRAN: Iran announces it will continue nuclear research and devlopment on the eve of Monday's meeting of the UN's nuclear watchdog
  • Date: 5th March 2006
  • Summary: (BN08) TEHRAN, IRAN (MARCH 5, 2006) (REUTERS ACCESS ALL) IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN ARRIVING AT NEWS CONFERENCE SOUNDBITE: (Farsi) IRAN FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN HAMID ASEFI " We are after the restoration of our countries nuclear rights. So we will continue research and development in the country Trades pressure and propaganda will not have any influence on our programme". JOURNALISTS SOUNDBITE: (Farsi) IRAN FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN " The agencies (IAEA) decision tomorrow will serve as criteria for the judgement of the third world countries and public opinion, so we are recommending the agency to avoid political work and focus only on ti's professional job"
  • Embargoed: 20th March 2006 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: International Relations,Industry
  • Reuters ID: LVA1BRKS9Y46TTF79GONI058Q4CE
  • Story Text: Iran could reach nuclear agreement with Russia or the European Trio within the next few hours, an official spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry said Sunday (March 5).
    Responding to a question about whether there was a probability for Iran to reach a nuclear agreement in the next few hours with Russia or the European Union Trio (Great Britain, France and Germany), spokemsan Hamid Reza Asefi said everything was possible but that Iran would continue it's nuclear research.
    "We are after the restoration of our country's nuclear rights. So we will continue research and development in the country. Trades pressure and propaganda will not have any influence on our programme," Asefi said.
    According to Asefi, the continuation of nuclear research is Iran's legitimate rights, and all countries have such rights.
    The March 6 meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) could decide to refer the Iranian "nuclear file" to the UN Security Council, which has the power to impose sanctions if Tehran is found to be in breach of its international commitments.
    Iran says it is seeking nuclear technology for electricity, but Germany, France and Britain said it had offered no ideas at meetings last week on how to allay concerns that its real intention is to develop nuclear weapons. German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said the IAEA meeting would either achieve a deal that would allow for renewed negotiations or the matter would be referred to the UN Security Council.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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