TEHRAN, Feb 14: Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi, his country accused by Washington of secretly developing nuclear arms, said on Saturday the Islamic Republic was ready to sell nuclear fuel to international buyers.
Iran rejects US charges it seeks nuclear weapons and insists it will enrich uranium only to the level needed to fuel power stations and not to higher, weapons-grade purity.
"The Islamic Republic of Iran, as a country that has the potential to produce nuclear fuel, is ready to offer (that) fuel to international markets," he told the official IRNA news agency at a Tehran airport after a trip to Italy and the Vatican.
Britain, France and Germany last year persuaded Iran to suspend uranium enrichment and accept snap inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), a UN watchdog.
Washington this week upped pressure on Tehran after the IAEA discovered undeclared drawings of centrifuges that can be used to make bomb-grade material.
The United States made clear on Friday it would give Iran more time to disclose its nuclear programmes before deciding whether to refer the issue to the UN Security Council, which could impose sanctions.
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: Iran's foreign ministry on Saturday hit back at the European Parliament for criticizing forthcoming parliamentary elections in the Islamic republic as failing to meet democratic standards.
According to the official news agency IRNA, spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi indicated Europe's "lack of a proper understanding of Iran's realities and intricacies".
"The forthcoming Majlis election is an internal issue and any measure which may lead to the conception of interference in Iran's internal affairs is unacceptable and not worthy of paying heed to," Asefi was quoted as saying.
"The European Parliament is advised to focus its efforts and time on dealing with flagrant human rights violations in the European countries and inattention to the rights of minorities, especially Muslims, and refrain from raising issues which they have nothing to do with," he added. On Thursday, the European Parliament adopted a resolution expressing regret at the "severe setback in efforts towards the establishment of democratic structures in Iran".
It said "the lack of respect for democratic procedures may lead to a parliament unable to legitimise itself" and warned Iran could see its position in the international community weakened.
Thousands of candidates, mostly linked to the reformist movement, have been disqualified from standing in the February 20 polls by the Guardians Council, an unelected constitutional and legislative watchdog controlled by conservatives.
POLL CAMPAIGN: Thousands of candidates began campaigning in earnest Saturday for Iran's parliamentary elections, a vote overshadowed by the mass disqualification of reformist candidates and what appeared to be widespread apathy.
Some 5,000 candidates contesting for 290 seats in the Majlis, or parliament, have until midnight Wednesday to sell their cases to Iran's 46.3 million voters. The election will be held on Feb 20.
Although walls dedicated to elections posters were filled across much of Tehran, there appeared to be little in the way of excitement or suspense among many ordinary Iranians.-AFP
