Tehran said on Sunday it will not give up its nuclear development plans, including uranium enrichment, despite international pressure to prove it is not developing atomic weapons.
Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi said: "Abandoning nuclear activities or enrichment is not something that Iran is ready to compromise on."
The Iranian leadership claims its nuclear program is aimed at producing electricity from atomic power to satisfy growing demand. Asefi added: "We have been transparent. We have said we're not seeking to produce weapons of mass destruction."
On Saturday, US President George W. Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the Iranian issue. Putin said a "clear but respectful signal" should be sent to Iran about the need to cooperate with the IAEA over its nuclear facilities.
On his part, Bush called on Tehran to come clean on its nuclear programs and said "it is in our national interests to make sure that Iran does not develop a nuclear weapon." (Albawaba.com)
© 2003 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
