TEHRAN, Aug 5: Iran on Friday rejected a broad package of trade and technology incentives offered by the European Union if it agreed to abandon nuclear fuel work, a move that risks an international crisis. “The proposals are unacceptable,” nuclear negotiator Hossein Moussavian said, describing them as a ‘clear violation’ of agreements between Iran and the European Union.
“They negate Iran’s inalienable right,” he said. European negotiators have called for an emergency meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency, which could refer Iran’s nuclear dossier to the Security Council for possible sanctions.
But a defiant Iran said it would also stick by its plans to resume uranium conversion, a preliminary stage in the nuclear fuel cycle, despite warnings that it would trigger an international crisis. The European Union said Tehran, accused by the United States of seeking to build an atomic bomb, must commit ‘not to pursue fuel cycle activities’ if it wants to benefit from the EU incentives.
The package, submitted by ambassadors from Britain, France and Germany, covers nuclear issues, political and security concerns, and offers economic and technological cooperation. The EU said it reaffirmed ‘Iran’s inalienable rights to the peaceful use of nuclear energy, exercised in conformity with the nuclear non-proliferation treaty,” but also demanded that it drop sensitive nuclear activities.
An EU letter ‘offered to supply nuclear reactor fuel as well as security, technology and trade guarantees in return for Iran dropping parts of its nuclear programme that could be used to build atomic bombs’.
“As Iran will have an assured supply of fuel over the coming years, it will be able to provide the confidence needed by making a binding commitment not to pursue fuel cycle activities other than the construction and operation of light water power and research reactors,” the letter said, referring to less sensitive nuclear activities.—AFP
