Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Cui Tiankai will head for Iran Monday, according to the Foreign Ministry.

 

During his stay, he will confer the Iranian side on Iran's nuclear issue and other international and regional issues of common concern.

 

Iran warned on Sunday that it would withdraw from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) if its "inalienable rights" are deprived of, the official IRNA news agency reported.

 

"If depriving Iran of its inalienable rights is the result of its membership in international organizations, including the IAEA, our withdrawal from such bodies is well justified," parliamentary speaker Gholam-Ali Hadad-Adel was quoted as saying.

 

He reiterated Iran's rejection to a UN Security Council resolution that urges Tehran to "suspend all enrichment-related and reprocessing activities, including research and development" by August 31 or face the prospect of sanctions.

 

The Iranian parliament chief, however, emphasized that the path of negotiations was still open to solve the country's nuclear issue.

 

The UN Security Council on July 31 adopted a resolution urging Tehran to "suspend all enrichment-related and reprocessing activities, including research and development" by August 31 or face the prospect of sanctions.

 

Due to the insistence of council members such as Russia and China, the resolution dropped the threat of immediate sanctions and required the council to hold further discussions before sanctions are considered.

 

Iranian officials have recently expressed indignation over the UN demand, warning the world body against taking acrimonious measures to force Iran to comply or Iran would quit the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and stop cooperation with the IAEA.

 

An Iranian member of the parliament warned Saturday that the West may demand more concession from Iran even if the Islamic Republic agrees to suspend its uranium enrichment, local Fars News Agency reported.

 

The US has accused Iran of secretly developing nuclear weapons under a civilian front, a charge categorically denied by Tehran which says that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.

 

(Xinhua News Agency August 14, 2006)