TEHRAN, April 5: Iran's nuclear chief Ali Larijani has told the European Union there was no chance Tehran would suspend its programme of uranium enrichment, state television reported on Thursday.

He made the comments in a telephone conversation on Wednesday with the EU's top diplomat, Javier Solana.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran is ready to negotiate only on non-diversion (of its nuclear programme for military purposes) and not on its nuclear rights,” Larijani was quoted as saying by an official of the supreme council for national security, which he heads.

“Iran will not accept any preconditions or suspension for a time. Nor can suspending enrichment be a precondition or the result of negotiations” with the five permanent UN Security Council members plus Germany, he was quoted as saying.

Solana has been charged with trying to entice Tehran back to the negotiating table.

“There was a conversation yesterday,” an EU official said on Thursday in Brussels on condition of anonymity. “They agreed to keep in contact, but only by telephone for now.”—AFP