Global Policy Forum

Iran's top nuclear negotiator said Sunday that his country would expand its uranium enrichment, in defiance of a United Nations Security Council resolution that sets an Aug. 31 deadline for the Islamic republic to halt enrichment or face the threat of political and economic sanctions.

The negotiator, Ali Larijani, called the Security Council resolution, which was issued last week, illegal and said, "We reject this resolution." "We will expand nuclear activities where required," he said. "It includes all nuclear technology, including the string of centrifuges," referring to the linked centrifuges that Iran would use for such an enrichment program.

He said that Iran had not violated any of its obligations under the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty and that the United Nations had no right to require it to suspend enrichment. "We won't accept suspension," he said. "Such resolutions won't have any impact on our behavior," he said. "We will expand our nuclear technology." However, Larijani said all Iranian nuclear activities would remain under the supervision of the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency. The agency has said there has been no evidence to prove that Iran's nuclear program has been diverted toward weapons.

Larijani said the Security Council resolution was "contrary" to a package of Western incentives offered in June to persuade Tehran to suspend its uranium enrichment activities. Iran would formally respond on Aug. 22 to the incentives package, he said. Iran has said it will never give up its right to produce nuclear fuel, but has indicated it might temporarily suspend large-scale activities to ease tensions. Larijani said the world should blame the United States and its allies for acting against their proposed package and seeking to deny Iran its legitimate right under the nonproliferation treaty to enrich uranium and produce nuclear fuel.

Larijani said talks, not threats, would resolve the standoff over Iran's nuclear activities, and he blamed the West for compromising a diplomatic solution. "We were expected to hold talks" to "remove ambiguities," he said, adding that Western countries had issued a resolution at the Security Council and killed the talks. The United States has accused Iran of seeking nuclear weapons. Tehran maintains its program is peaceful and intended to generate electricity, not bombs.

In February, Iran for the first time produced a batch of low-grade enriched uranium, using a cascade of 164 centrifuges. The process of uranium enrichment can be used to generate electricity or to create an atomic weapon, depending on the level of enrichment. Iran said it planned to install 3,000 centrifuges at its enrichment plant in Natanz, in central Iran, by the last quarter of 2006. Industrial production of enriched uranium in Natanz would require 54,000 centrifuges.

U.S. imposes sanctions

The United States imposed sanctions on seven foreign companies for providing Iran with materials that could be used to make unconventional weapons or cruise or ballistic missile systems, The New York Times reported.

The sanctions, effective July 28 and announced Friday, will be in place for two years.

During that time, U.S. government agencies will not be allowed to buy goods or services from the seven companies or provide them with assistance. The sanctions also bar the sale of some military equipment, services or technologies to the companies or their subsidiaries.

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