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TEHRAN - Iran remains committed to the Non Proliferation Treaty, the country's chief nuclear negotiator said on Wednesday, reacting to a UN agency report saying Tehran is expanding atom work in defiance of Western demands.
The West suspects Iran is violating the NPT by using a declared civilian nuclear programme as a facade for mastering the means to make atom bombs. Oil-rich Iran says it is only seeking an alternative source of energy.
"Iran is still loyal to its commitment in carrying out the NPT," Iranian state television quoted chief nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani as saying.
The findings in a report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) came on the day nine US warships sailed into the Gulf to demonstrate American impatience with Tehran which it also accuses of fomenting instability in Iraq. Iran denies this.
Iran's defiance of another 60-day deadline for it to stop enrichment, set by the UN Security Council when it imposed a second set of sanctions on March 24, exposes Tehran to tougher penalties.
Larijani criticised the Security Council for taking a "political view" on the nuclear issue rather than one based on technical expertise.
He added the IAEA had access to Iranian nuclear facilities. "The agency's access to Iran's facilities is based on our country's announced legal commitment and in this field there should not be any doubts."
Iran, which had already said it was expanding uranium enrichment, says it seeks to use nuclear technology only for power generation. Enriched uranium can be used for nuclear power plants or, if refined to a much higher degree, for bombs.
- REUTERS
