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A top Iranian nuclear official said Monday that Iran will consider the European proposal on a permanent suspension of uranium enrichment and cooperate with the international community, the state television reported.
"Iran can consider the European proposal which requires an unlimited suspension of uranium enrichment, if it does not run counter to our principles," Hassan Rowhani, secretary of Supreme National Security Council and chief nuclear negotiator, was quoted as saying.
Rowhani referred to a proposal that the European trio, France, Germany and Britain, raised during their nuclear negotiation with Iran in Vienna on Thursday, aiming at encouraging Iran to halt its fuel cycle work.
According to the proposal, Iran will get access to imported nuclear fuel and other offers, including a light-water reactor, in return for a downright suspension of its fuel cycle work related to uranium enrichment.
Rowhani expressed Iran's willingness to cooperate with the international community if its legal right on peaceful nuclear technology is recognized.
"We are ready to take measures necessary for confidence building, but our legal rights cannot be violated," Rowhani told the official IRNA News Agency.
One week ago, Rowhani said that Iran was ready to discuss a "short suspension" of uranium enrichment, but will never give in on its work on nuclear fuel cycle.
On Sunday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid-Reza Asefi said that the EU proposal was "unacceptable" and "unbalanced." Tehran has been denying the US accusation of developing nuclear weapons, asserting that it is politically motivated and Iran's nuclear research is fully peaceful.
(Xinhua News Agency October 26, 2004)
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