Iran Opposes Limits on Nuclear Program

Toughening its stance before a meeting of the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog agency, Iran said Saturday that it would reject international restrictions on its nuclear program and challenged the world to accept Tehran as a member of the “nuclear club.”

Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi stated his nation’s position two days before the International Atomic Energy Agency’s board of governors is scheduled to meet to discuss Iran’s controversial nuclear program.

“We won’t accept any new obligations,” Kharrazi said. “Iran has a high technical capability and has to be recognized by the international community as a member of the nuclear club. This is an irreversible path.”

Iran says its nuclear program is geared toward generating electricity, not making weapons, but the United States and its allies say Tehran has a secret nuclear weapons program. The IAEA has wrestled with the dilemma for more than a year.

Iran has suspended uranium enrichment and stopped building centrifuges. It also has allowed IAEA inspections of its nuclear facilities without notice, part of the additional protocol to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty that has not yet been approved by parliament.

Kharrazi said Iran would not give up its development of the nuclear fuel cycle, the steps for processing and enriching uranium necessary for both nuclear energy and nuclear weapons. Tehran says it has achieved the full cycle but is not now enriching uranium.

“That somebody demands that we give up the nuclear fuel cycle ... is an additional demand,” Kharrazi said, apparently referring to calls on Iran by U.S. and European countries to halt operations of a plant it inaugurated in March near the central city of Isfahan, which processes uranium into gas.

Iran also has been pressed to abort plans to build a heavy water reactor in Arak, another city in central Iran.

“We can’t accept such an additional demand, which is contrary to our legal and legitimate rights,” Kharrazi said. “No one in Iran can make a decision to deny the nation of something that is a source of pride.”

Iran has confirmed that it has the technology to extract uranium ore, process it into a powder called yellow cake and then convert it to gas. The gas is then injected into centrifuges for low-grade enrichment that turns it into fuel for nuclear reactors.

Uranium enriched to low levels can be used to produce energy, whereas highly enriched uranium can be used in bombs.

Iran suspended uranium enrichment last year under mounting international pressure. In April, it said it had stopped building centrifuges.

IAEA inspectors recently found traces of highly enriched uranium at two sites, which Iranian officials have maintained was from contaminated imported materials.

Kharrazi condemned a draft U.N. resolution critical of Iran. The draft, which was drawn up by Germany, France and Britain and was being debated before the IAEA board meeting Monday, says Iran’s cooperation has not been complete.

“The draft resolution is unacceptable unless changes are made so that it can be acceptable to all parties,” he said.

Kharrazi warned that failure to settle the debate over Iran’s nuclear dossier will be a “failure for all,” including Iran, Europe and the IAEA.

The minister confirmed Iran’s effort to buy 4,000 magnets for uranium enrichment equipment, which the IAEA reported this month, saying the issue was blown out of proportion. He did not say where the magnets were purchased.

IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei said last month that his agency had not found proof of a concrete link between Iran’s nuclear activities and its military program, but “it was premature to make a judgment.”