Once again: Iran Says Will Never Give Up Uranium Enrichment

Reuters, The Washington Post:

Iran will not abandon uranium enrichment, despite its negotiations with the European Union on its nuclear program, a senior official said on Sunday.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi said Iran would never renounce its right to carry out the process, but was hopeful about the outcome of the talks with Europe. ...

"Iran will never give up its (uranium) enrichment activities," Asefi told a weekly news conference. ...

"Iran's uranium enrichment suspension is only for a short period of time," Asefi said. "It will be until reaching an agreement with the EU."

The European Union says that if Iran resumes enrichment, it will support a U.S. plan to refer Tehran to the U.N. Security Council, which could impose economic sanctions.

Officials from Britain, France, Germany and Iran are to meet later this month to continue the talks.

Asefi said Iran was hopeful about the next meeting, saying: "The prospect of the talks is more positive than before."

"We hope to reach a clear solution at the next meeting on April 19," Asefi said.

He denied reports of Iran purchasing 12 cruise missiles from Ukraine. READ MORE

The Financial Times newspaper last month quoted Ukraine's prosecutor-general as saying that 18 X-55 cruise missiles, were exported in 2001 to Iran and China. It said none were exported with the nuclear warheads they were designed to carry.

"The government, the foreign and other ministries have not made such a deal with Ukraine," Asefi said.