Iran will never accept a permanent suspension of uranium enrichment, but is going to provide objective guarantees of the peaceful nature of its nuclear activities, Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid-Reza Asefi said Sunday.

"Iran and the European Union (EU) will continue talks to explore ways for short-term uranium suspension and Tehran will not forgo its right to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes," Asefi told a weekly news briefing.

He stressed that the suspension would continue during the period the talks were underway but it was "only a matter of months, not years."

"The enrichment and peaceful use of nuclear technology are among our absolute rights and we can not overlook it," he said.

Asefi also said that the latest round of talks between Iran and the EU in Geneva on April 19-21 was held in a cooperative atmosphere, expressing hope that the two sides would reach an agreement soon.

"The two sides discussed in details Iran's ideas of objective guarantees as well as ambiguities over some key issues," he said.

"It can not be assured that a final agreement will be reached during future talks. But we expect a promising prospect to continue talks," Asefi said, adding that Iran was not afraid of giving "objective guarantees" to the Europeans in return for their firm guarantees.

The spokesman also voiced Iran's opposition to the International Atomic Energy Agency's recent plan to impose limitations on fuel cycle technology, especially uranium enrichment.

"No one can deprive countries of rights on peaceful nuclear energy. This plan benefits neither developed nor developing countries," he said.

The European trio of Britain, France and Germany are trying hard to talk Iran out of its uranium enrichment, which can be used to generate electricity or make bombs.

Tehran suspended its enrichment activities in November 2004 to "build confidence."

The EU insists that Iran halt all of its work on building nuclear fuel cycles as a move to provide "objective guarantees," while Tehran claims it will never give up its legitimate rights to nuclear technology.

The United States accuses Iran of developing nuclear weapons covertly, a charge rejected by Tehran.

(Xinhua News Agency April 25, 2005)