Agence France Presse – Iran on Sunday said the question of it suspending uranium enrichment was a "thing of the past" ahead of a second day of key talks with the European Union over its nuclear programme.
Suspending uranium enrichment, which can be used both to make nuclear fuel and the explosive core of a nuclear bomb, has been a constant demand of European countries in almost three years of talks with Iran over its nuclear programme.
"The question of the suspension (of uranium enrichment) is a thing of the past. Iran will not take a step back," ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi told reporters.
"If the Europeans have points of view we are ready to hear them but we refuse any negotiations with preconditions," he added.
EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana and Iran’s top national security official Ali Larijani were preparing to hold a second day of talks in Vienna after both sides welcomed Saturday’s meeting as "constructive".
"There were good discussions between Larijani and Solana. I hope that the negotiations will allow us to arrive at an intermediate solution that will allow us to realise our rights and for the worries of the other side to be dissipated," said Asefi.
The United States has been leading a drive on the UN Security Council to impose sanctions against Iran, but there have been differences between the council’s permanent members on whether sanctions should be imposed.
"It is too early to talk about sanctions but the Islamic republic of Iran has taken all the necessary measures and will not be taken by surprise" by any eventual sanctions, said Asefi.
Iran suspended uranium enrichment work in November 2004 following talks with Britain, France and Germany but resumed its activities following the election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and has now enriched uranium to almost five percent.
The United States accuses Tehran of seeking to produce nuclear weapons, a charge vehemently denied by the Islamic republic.
