Sanctions threatened as Iran resumes uranium conversion

IRAN insisted yesterday that it would resume uranium conversion this week after rejecting EU incentives to end its nuclear fuel work, and said it was not worried about being referred to the UN for possible sanctions.

“Although we think referral of Iran’s case to the security council would be unlawful and politically motivated, if one day they refer Iran’s case... we won’t be worried in the least,” said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hamid Reza Asefi.

Britain, Germany and France, heading nuclear negotiations with Iran for the EU, have called an emergency meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) board of governors tomorrow to discuss Iran’s case.

The EU trio say they will recommend referring Iran to the security council if it goes ahead with plans to break UN seals and resume work at the Isfahan uranium conversion plant.

Iran, which on Saturday rejected an EU package of economic and political incentives designed to persuade it to halt nuclear fuel work for good, says it will restart the Isfahan plant as soon as IAEA surveillance equipment is in place.

State television quoted Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi as saying: “We will insist on our rights and have decided to resume Isfahan activities as the first step of our measures. This does not mean we will stop negotiations with Europe.”

German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said Iran faced economic sanctions if it refused to accept the EU proposals. “I don’t think anyone at the moment is thinking about a military confrontation,” he said.

Mr Asefi said the 35-page EU proposal, which contained an offer of help with developing a civilian nuclear programme, was rejected because it did not recognise Iran’s right to enrich uranium.

Iran says its nuclear programme is solely designed to produce much-needed electricity and is not, as Washington insists, a cover for making atomic bombs.