Nuclear freeze talks must not last too long says Iran

TEHRAN - Iran is prepared to keep uranium enrichment activities frozen as long as nuclear negotiations continue with the EU, but those talks should not last too long, Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Hassan Rohani said on Tuesday.

"The length of the suspension will only be for the length of the negotiations with the Europeans and the length of negotiations must be rational and not too long," Rohani told a news conference.

"We're talking about months, not years," he added.

Iran, which insists its nuclear programme is solely for electricity generation, on Monday escaped possible UN sanctions over its nuclear programme after agreeing to freeze all activities which could be used to make bomb-grade material.

The European Union hopes to persuade Iran to make the suspension permanent by offering Iran trade and other incentives. But Tehran has said it will never give up what it considers its right to develop a fully-fledged nuclear programme from uranium mines to atomic power reactors.

Washington has expressed scepticism that Iran will stick to its commitments with the EU and says it reserves the right to take Iran's case to the UN Security Council on its own.

"Despite the US propaganda Iran has not put aside its right to the (nuclear) fuel cycle and it never will do," Rohani said. "If we had wanted to make a nuclear bomb we would have made one in the last 20 years," he added.

- REUTERS