Iran’s president rejects Euro nuclear proposals

TEHRAN – Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said yesterday that he considers “invalid” any European proposals that ask Iran to halt uranium enrichment.

Meanwhile, a Foreign Ministry spokesman downplayed reports that inspectors from the UN nuclear watchdog have found traces of highly enriched uranium on equipment from an Iranian research centre. Ahmadinejad asserted that only Iran had the authority to make decisions about its nuclear programmeme.”They (must) know that any proposal that requires a halt to our peaceful (nuclear) activities will be without any value and invalid,” Ahmadinejad said on state-run television after his return from a visit to Indonesia.European governments are seeking to build on a package of economic and political incentives offered to Iran in August last year in return for a permanent end to its uranium enrichment activities.Iran rejected last year’s offer but the Europeans have tried to sweeten the proposal amid expectations that they will join the United States in urging the United Nations to take steps that could lead to sanctions if Iran refuses.Several countries, including the United States, accuse Iran of seeking to develop nuclear weapons.Tehran says its aims are peaceful and that it was enriching uranium to fuel electricity-generating nuclear power plants.”Apparently, the gentlemen (Europe and the US) are living in the era of colonialism and give no value to the standing of nations,” the president said.Referring to international pressure, Ahmadinejad said “when we are not present (in the decision-making process) it will be invalid for us.””They want to offer us things they call incentives in return for renouncing our rights,” he said, alluding to opponents of Tehran’s nuclear programme.The United States has led calls for the UN Security Council to adopt a binding resolution requiring Iran to halt enrichment if Tehran doesn’t accept the European proposal.- Nampa-APAhmadinejad asserted that only Iran had the authority to make decisions about its nuclear programmeme.”They (must) know that any proposal that requires a halt to our peaceful (nuclear) activities will be without any value and invalid,” Ahmadinejad said on state-run television after his return from a visit to Indonesia.European governments are seeking to build on a package of economic and political incentives offered to Iran in August last year in return for a permanent end to its uranium enrichment activities.Iran rejected last year’s offer but the Europeans have tried to sweeten the proposal amid expectations that they will join the United States in urging the United Nations to take steps that could lead to sanctions if Iran refuses.Several countries, including the United States, accuse Iran of seeking to develop nuclear weapons.Tehran says its aims are peaceful and that it was enriching uranium to fuel electricity-generating nuclear power plants.”Apparently, the gentlemen (Europe and the US) are living in the era of colonialism and give no value to the standing of nations,” the president said.Referring to international pressure, Ahmadinejad said “when we are not present (in the decision-making process) it will be invalid for us.””They want to offer us things they call incentives in return for renouncing our rights,” he said, alluding to opponents of Tehran’s nuclear programme.The United States has led calls for the UN Security Council to adopt a binding resolution requiring Iran to halt enrichment if Tehran doesn’t accept the European proposal.- Nampa-AP