Report: Iran sends EU new letter over nuclear dispute

Oct 6, 2008, 14:31 GMT

Tehran - Iran has sent a new letter to the European Union over the ongoing nuclear dispute, ISNA news agency reported Monday.

ISNA quoted an unnamed official as saying that the Iranian ambassador in Brussels would deliver a letter by Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili to EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana on Monday.

Without disclosing any details about the contents of the letter, the official just said that the letter deals with the latest developments in the nuclear dispute and the recent approach by the West against Iran.

The United Nations Security Council last week issued a fourth resolution against Iran calling on the Islamic state to halt its nuclear activities, but did not seek additional sanctions.

Jalili had termed the resolution as 'not constructive' and merely aimed at 'showing solidarity' among the world powers.

Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki on Sunday said that Iran would neither withdraw from its right to enrich uranium nor become dependent on others for providing nuclear fuel for Iranian plants.

Also Iranian Atomic Energy Organization head Gholam-Reza Aqazadeh said Monday that the suspension of uranium enrichment would be Iran's 'red line,' adding the West should know that Tehran would never make any concessions in this regard.

Tehran insists that its nuclear projects are peaceful and says that as signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, the country has an internationally acknowledged right to a civilian nuclear programme, including uranium enrichment.

Iran has indicated it is ready to hold negotiations with the world powers to settle the dispute, but without any pre-conditions.