By IANS
Beijing : Iran’s top nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili said here Friday Iran would not give up its right to enrich uranium that it derives from the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) as a signatory.
“Iran is a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and will under no condition give up its undeniable rights,” Jalili told Tang Jiaxuan, member of China’s State Council, official IRNA news agency reported.
The treaty, which bans spread of nuclear weapons, promotes cooperation in the field of peaceful nuclear technology and equal access to this technology for all signatories within the safeguards to prevent the diversion of fissile material for weapons use.
Jalili, who is in China presumably to shore up support for its nuclear programme ahead of a UN Security Council session to discuss the issue, told Tang that Iran is firm about continuing cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
“We consider ourselves committed to cooperate with the IAEA within the framework of safeguards but will not come short in regaining our rights,” he said.
Jalili hoped that remaining problems about Iran’s nuclear issue would be settled as soon as possible.
IAEA chief Mohammed El Baradei had recently visited Iran to sort out the remaining issues with the country.