TEHRAN, Jan 31: Iran said on Monday its current freeze on uranium enrichment would be short-lived but insisted that its nuclear activities posed no risk to the region, as claimed by the United States.

"The length of the suspension will not be very long and will be valid for the duration of the negotiations and only on the condition that the negotiations make progress," top nuclear negotiator Hassan Rowhani told Hamshahri newspaper.

"In the future we will most certainly resume enrichment, but as for how long the suspension will last is going to depend on many factors." Iran, accused by Washington of trying to build an atomic bomb, has suspended uranium enrichment as a confidence-building measure during talks with the European Union, but in a hardening of its stance the bloc now wants Tehran to commit itself to abandoning the process completely.

Enrichment is a key process that makes what can be fuel for nuclear reactors but also the explosive core of atomic bombs. US Under secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security John Bolton, a noted hawk in President George Bush's administration, said Iran's nuclear program was a major threat for Washington's allies in the Middle East.

During a trip to Bahrain on Sunday, Mr Bolton said although Iran could not yet strike the US, "they can strike our friends and allies in the region and the broader region here". But Iranian government spokesman Abdollah Ramezanzadeh rejected his comments, saying: "We have announced all Iran's nuclear activities are for developmental and peaceful purposes.

"We think only the ones who feel their interests are harmed by our peaceful plans see danger in these projects," Mr Ramezanzadeh said, adding: "Our religion does not allow the use of weapons of mass destruction."

Mr Bush, who once lumped Iran in an "axis of evil" including North Korea and Iraq, has said he could not rule out using force if Tehran failed to rein in its nuclear plans. -AFP