TEHRAN, Oct 3: Iran on Wednesday summoned a top French diplomat in Tehran over remarks by Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner suggesting it could be seeking the atomic bomb, state media reported.

“French charge d’affaires Jean Grebling was summoned... to the foreign ministry to receive the protest and hear of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s dissatisfaction with France’s recent positions and its negative tone,” according to a ministry statement carried on state television’s website.

Since the election of President Nicolas Sarkozy, France has considerably toughened its position towards Iran, and called for new sanctions to oblige Tehran to suspend its uranium enrichment programme.

Kouchner — who caused a stir last month by saying the world must prepare for war with Iran — told Europe 1 radio on Tuesday that “nothing is more dangerous than the situation in Iran.

“The Iranians must stop enriching uranium, because what they are doing encourages the experts to think they are possibly moving towards the atomic bomb and not the civil nuclear power to which they have absolute right.” “It is absolutely vital to have peace,” he said. “I did not call for war, I called for peace.” Iran noted that France’s stance was despite Tehran last month agreeing a timetable with the International Atomic Energy Agency for it to answer outstanding questions about its nuclear activities.

Tehran said it was also “strongly protesting at France’s push for another UN Security resolution and encouraging European nations to impose additional sanctions on Iran,” it added.

Iran vehemently rejects charges it is seeking a nuclear weapon, saying the atomic drive is aimed solely at generating electricity for a growing population.

Major world powers have agreed to wait for November reports by IAEA director Mohamed ElBaradei and EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana before deciding on whether to push for a third round of sanctions against Tehran.

The Security Council has already passed two resolutions imposing sanctions on Tehran over its refusal to heed ultimatums to suspend uranium enrichment, a process which creates nuclear fuel but can be diverted to make the core of an atomic bomb.

ElBaradei said in an interview with the Financial Times on Wednesday that Iran must provide key details on its atomic programme by late November or its unwillingness to work with the international community will “backfire.” He said the two key issues that required clarification before his report to the IAEA governing body next month had to do with Iran’s research capabilities and its nuclear weaponisation capacity.

“I’ve told the Iranians: ‘This is your litmus test. You committed yourself to come clean. If you don’t, nobody will be able to come to your support’.”—AFP