WASHINGTON: The European Union will not accept a resumption of any nuclear arms activity by Iran, French Foreign Minister Philippe Douse-Blazy said on Tuesday after talks with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

“The Europeans will never accept a resumption of the Iranian military nuclear activity,” he told reporters with Rice by his side after their meeting at the State Department.

Rice stressed the need for a complete halt to Iran’s nuclear activities, saying she saw no immediate need for a civilian nuclear program for the Islamic state.

She said that based on a Paris agreement between France, Britain and Germany or the EU-3, and Iran in November 2004, Iran should suspend its uranium enrichment activity ahead of a full stop to its nuclear programs.

—AFP