Iran Defiant On Nuclear Program

Iran insisted Saturday its decision to suspend uranium enrichment is voluntary and temporary, saying it plans to enrich enough fuel in the future for at least one of seven nuclear power plants it expects to build.

Hasan Rowhani, head of the powerful Supreme National Security Council, also said Iran would punish countries that backed U.S. efforts to take Iran's nuclear record to the U.N. Security Council at last week's board meeting of the U.N. nuclear agency by cutting them out of development contracts.

"Our decision to suspend uranium enrichment is voluntary and temporary. Uranium enrichment is Iran's natural right and (Iran) will reserve for itself this right. ... There has been and there will be no question of a permanent suspension or halt at all," Rowhani told a news conference.

"We want to control the whole fuel cycle," he added. "Since we are planning to build seven nuclear power plants in the future, we want to provide fuel for at least one or more of the plants ourselves."

The 35-member board of the International Atomic Energy Agency last week adopted a compromise resolution censuring Iran for secrecy in its nuclear program but not directly threatening U.N. sanctions, as the United States had sought. Key European powers opposed a direct threat, worried that Tehran would stop cooperating in retaliation.

Iran has insisted its nuclear program is aimed only a peaceful uses, challenging U.S. accusations it planed to make weapons.

U.S. State Department spokesman Lou Fintor had no specific response to the remarks made Saturday by Rowhani, but said in general that "we expect full Iranian cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency."

The Iranian government hopes to produce 6,000 Megawatts of electricity by 2021 from planned nuclear reactors, along with one currently under construction. Iran's first nuclear power plant, being built by the Russians at Bushehr on the shores of the Gulf, is expected to be completed by the end of 2004.

Rowhani, Iran's top nuclear negotiator, said Iran possesses the technology necessary to enrich uranium and does not need foreign assistance.

"Today, we can produce centrifugal parts ourselves. We possess the technology. We are at the pilot stage. We haven't reached the semi-industrial or industrial stage yet. It's a local technology now," he said.

Rowhani said countries that supported the U.S. call would be effectively barred from receiving lucrative contracts for huge energy and development projects in Iran.

Canada, Australia, Japan and New Zealand offered outright support to Washington, while Russia, China worked for a softer resolution, along with other European, nonaligned and Latin American states.

"Iran will not treat countries that stood beside America and others equally. We will scrutinize this carefully. In big economic projects, Iran will consider this," he said.