TEHRAN, July 12: Iran warned the European Union on Tuesday it would resume sensitive nuclear activities shortly if the EU failed to recognize its right to carry out such work.

The warning, delivered by Iran’s top nuclear negotiator, set up another tense showdown between the Islamic state and the EU ahead of key talks expected to take place next month.

At that meeting EU negotiators are due to present a proposal on the long-term future of Iran’s atomic programme. Iran, which denies seeking nuclear arms, has frozen sensitive nuclear work, like uranium enrichment, while the talks go on.

“If Iran’s rights are not observed in the new European proposal ... we will resume activities at the Uranium Conversion Facility,” said Hassan Rohani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council.

Iran threatened to resume work at the Uranium Conversion Facility in Isfahan — where raw uranium is processed — earlier this year. But crisis talks in Geneva in May secured a two-month breathing space for the EU.

EU officials, who want Iran to scrap all nuclear fuel work in return for economic and other incentives, have warned any resumption would probably see Iran’s case referred to the UN Security Council, which could impose sanctions on Tehran.

But Iranian negotiators, as is often the case ahead of key Iran-EU nuclear talks, adopted a tough stance.

“We have stressed to the Europeans that their proposal should address Iran’s right to (nuclear) fuel production,” Rohani told state television.

—Reuters