TEHRAN, Jan 29: Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned European powers on Saturday that they must take their nuclear negotiations with Iran seriously, otherwise Tehran would reconsider its cooperation.

"The Europeans negotiating with Iran should know that they are dealing with a great, cultured nation... if Iranian officials feel that there is no seriousness in the European negotiations, the process will change," Ayatollah Khamenei was quoted as saying by the Iranian media.

His comments followed the emergence of reports that the EU was hardening its stance towards Iran and calling on Tehran to completely dismantle its nuclear fuel programme in order to guarantee that it does not seek atomic weapons.

Ayatollah Khamenei told the Europeans that "wasting time could not impede Iran's path to nuclear technology since it is a part of its national interest".

But at a closed-door meeting in Geneva this month, the so-called EU3 of Britain, France and Germany told Iran: "Nothing short of full cessation and dismantling of Iran's fuel cycle efforts would give the EU3 the objective guarantees they need that Iran's nuclear program is peaceful."

"Europeans know that Iran under no circumstances will give up (uranium) enrichment for peaceful purposes," Iran's top nuclear negotiator, Hasan Rowhani told the conservative Mehr news agency.

"Europeans also know that the duration of the negotiations and suspension of the enrichment is limited, and after this round of discussions has lapsed, the Islamic Republic of Iran will seek its rightful rights," he added, echoing Iranian officials request for a speedy conclusion in the negotiations with the Europeans.

"The European Union, especially the three countries, know that Iran is firm on its decisions and I do not think the Europeans want the negotiations to reach a dead end," Mr Rowhani said.

"Both sides have to try to reach a satisfactory solution," he added. -AFP