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Iran Will Not Make Concessions on Uranium Enrichment Program: Musavian

TEHRAN, June 13 (MNA) – Hussein Musavian, the secretary of the Foreign Policy Committee of the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), said here on Sunday that the Islamic Republic’s uranium enrichment activities have created a new dispute between Iran and the West, adding that Iran should make a serious decision on the issue.

Musavian told the Mehr News Agency that France, Britain, and Germany have fulfilled the commitments they made in the Tehran Declaration because they prevented Iran’s nuclear dossier from being referred to the UN Security Council.

However, Europe has apparently failed to remain committed to the February agreement in Brussels, according to which efforts should be made to close Iran’s nuclear dossier at the June session of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors, he said.

Musavian went on to say that the draft resolution prepared by Britain, France, and Germany for the IAEA Board is not dissimilar to IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei’s recent report on Iran’s nuclear activities.

He stressed that the three countries expressed appreciation of Iran’s cooperation with the agency in the resolution and have officially recognized the authenticity of IAEA inspections in Iran.

However, by referring to minor remaining issues between Iran and the IAEA, European countries are trying to force Iran to extend its suspension of uranium enrichment and to permit the agency to gain control over the UCF project in Isfahan and the heavy water installations in Arak, he added.

Musavian stressed that Iran expects Europe to change its draft resolution, adding that if the resolution is approved in its current form it will have a negative influence on the continuation of Iran-EU dialogue on nuclear affairs.

He said that the EU big three had previously announced that if Iran completely halted its uranium enrichment activities they would cooperate with the country in all other areas of nuclear technology and even provide the fuel required for its nuclear power plants for a 50-year period.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Musavian said that the September IAEA resolution on Iran’s nuclear activities fostered international mistrust of the country.

Referring to the G8 statement on Iran’s nuclear program, he said that Iran has positively responded to the group’s demands that it remain committed to the safeguard agreements, the additional protocol to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), and efforts to create a WMD-free zone in the region.

However, the G8’s emphasis on restricting enrichment activities in Iran runs completely counter to the commitment to the safeguard agreements, he said.

Musavian added that according to the NPT, all signatories have the right to enrich uranium. He stressed that any measure to restrict Iran’s enrichment activities, which are meant for peaceful purposes, should be regarded as a violation of the NPT.

He stated that Iran considers uranium enrichment part of its technological expertise, adding that the country will never forgo its right in this regard or negotiate on the issue.

Asked if Iranian MPs would ratify the additional protocol to the NPT or vote to reject it, Musavian said that the Majlis is the country’s highest legislative body and everyone is required to abide by its decisions.

http://www.mehrnews.com/wfNewsDetails_en.aspx?NewsID=86646&t=Political