Tehran vows to pursue nuclear fuel programme

Vienna: Iran vowed yesterday to press on with its nuclear fuel programme, ignoring a UN deadline to freeze uranium enrichment or face broader sanctions, but offered to guarantee it would not try to develop atomic weapons.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad remained defiant as a 60-day grace period Iran had been given on December 23 to stop enriching uranium for nuclear fuel was expiring.

"We ... will continue our work to reach our right [to nuclear technology] in the shortest possible time," student news agency Isna quoted him as saying in the town of Siahkal.

With the deadline running out, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which has been unable to verify Iran's programme is wholly peaceful after three years of investigations, was expected to report to the UN Security Council by today that Tehran was pursuing enrichment regardless of pressure to stop.

The West suspects Iran is trying to make atom bombs behind the facade of a civilian nuclear energy programme. Tehran says it wants only an alternative source of electricity so it can maximise oil exports and prepare for when oil reserves run dry.

Very important

"Obtaining this technology is very important for our country's development and honour," Ahmadinejad said. "It is worth it to stop other activities for 10 years and focus only on the nuclear issue."

Ultimate authority on nuclear matters lies not with Ahmadinejad but Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. But senior Iranian leaders have all ruled out halting nuclear work as a precondition for talks on trade benefits from the West.

The Council, which two months ago banned transfers of nuclear technology and expertise to Iran, would consider wider sanctions - such as a travel ban on Iranians linked to nuclear activity - if Tehran had not frozen enrichment work by yesterday.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair said Iran appeared bent on acquiring nuclear arms despite sending out conflicting signals in reply to sanctions and the US military buildup in the Gulf.

"The statements emanating from Iran are contradictory, but ... their nuclear weapons ambitions appear to continue," Blair told parliament in London. "We need to keep up the pressure because it's a very, very dangerous situation."