Iran rules out halt to sensitive nuclear work

Iran said yesterday it would not consider any incentives offered by world powers that violated its right to atomic technology, ruling out a key demand that it halt uranium enrichment.

Six world powers agreed at a meeting in London on Friday to offer a new package of incentives to coax Iran to suspend uranium enrichment, a process which the West believes Tehran wants to master so that it can build nuclear weapons.

Iran, the world's fourth largest oil producer, insists its nuclear programme is aimed at generating electricity, and says enrichment is a national right that it will not give up.

"Those incentives that violate the Iranian nation's right in any form will not be reviewed by the Islamic state," Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini told a news conference.

A senior EU diplomat at a nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty review meeting in Geneva told Reuters: "This looks like an early reaction that may not be particularly serious."

The five permanent members of the UN Security Council - the US, France, Britain, China and Russia - and Germany offered a package to Iran in 2006 that required Iran to halt enrichment. Tehran rejected it.

"Regarding the incentives package ... we believe the path adopted in the past should not be continued. They should act based on realities and international regulations. Talks should be held based on respecting nations' rights," Mr Hosseini said.

He said Iran had not formally received any new package.

The incentives offered to Iran in 2006 included civil nuclear cooperation and wider trade in civil aircraft, energy, high technology and agriculture, if Tehran suspended enrichment and negotiated with the six powers.

A European diplomat has said the heart of the previous offer - helping Iran develop civil nuclear power - remains. Britain said details would be revealed only to Iran's government.

Russia, which sent an envoy to Iran last week for discussions that covered the nuclear row, said on Saturday enrichment would have to be suspended during any talks.