Iran insists will reject offer to halt enrichment Mon May 15, 2006 5:26 PM BST
TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran reiterated on Monday that it would reject any European proposal that demanded the Islamic Republic halt uranium enrichment, Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said in a statement.
"Any demand for a suspension or pause (of uranium enrichment) is an illogical and unacceptable demand and undoubtedly will be rejected," Mottaki told the ambassadors of Britain, France and Germany in Tehran, the statement said.
The United States agreed to let the three European powers draw up a set of incentives and penalties to rein in Iran's nuclear ambitions, which the West says is aimed at producing atomic bombs. Iran insists its goals are civilian.
The European Union foreign ministers are reviewing the proposals that will be presented to Iran.
"Tehran welcomes any constructive proposal which could guarantee Iran's legitimate and obvious right and also could resolve the issue, and is ready to hold talks," the minister said.
Iran has said enrichment is a national right and has refused to comply with U.N. demands to halt the work. The United States and its European allies are seeking a resolution that would oblige Iran to stop enrichment but are facing Russian and Chinese objections.
"Iran's achievements on enrichment and also the nuclear technology in Iran are an obvious reality and are irreversible," Mottaki said.
Iran has enriched a small quantity of uranium to a level used in power stations and says it plans to develop industrial scale production.
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