TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran said Sunday its nuclear capabilities, branded a threat to peace by Washington, were a source of power and pride that the Islamic Republic would not be pressured into giving up.
Since its swift victory in Iraq (news - web sites), the United States has turned up the heat on its old foe Iran, which it accuses of harboring fugitive al Qaeda members, backing terrorism and trying to develop nuclear weapons.
Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi insisted there was no place for nuclear arms in Iran's security plans, but said Tehran would not abandon its peaceful atomic program.
"When we have attained nuclear technology and we have been able to obtain such technology by the efforts of our own scientists, this is the source of our power and every Iranian is proud of that," Kharrazi told parliament.
The International Atomic Energy Agency, in a report obtained by Reuters Friday, accused Iran of failing to comply with nuclear weapons safeguards and sent a three-man team of inspectors to the country Saturday.
Washington described the report as "deeply troubling."
The head of Iran's atomic agency accused the United States of using the report to try to make propaganda against Iran.
"There is no discussion of violation at all," Gholamreza Aghazadeh told state television. "The report goes back to 12 years ago and has nothing to do with the organization's current activities in the nuclear sector."
The IAEA, the United States, the European Union (news - web sites) and Russia have all urged Iran to sign an additional protocol to the Non-Proliferation Treaty to allow more thorough inspections by the IAEA, with little prior warning.
"An Iran which has scientists with whose help it was able to obtain this technology cannot be approached like this, cannot be pressured like this to sign this or that protocol and cannot be pressured to put aside its nuclear technology," Kharrazi said.
Iran says Washington should drop its sanctions against Iran and not hinder other countries transferring nuclear technology to the Islamic Republic, before Tehran can sign the protocol.
"If you want us to be transparent, come and help us," Kharrazi said. "You should approach capable Iran with cooperation, otherwise by pressurizing, you will get nowhere and it will lead to the growth of radical thoughts in Iran."
Kharrazi said in any case the additional protocol would have to approved by parliament, where government loyalists opposed such a move before and after the minister addressed the assembly.
Since its swift victory in Iraq (news - web sites), the United States has turned up the heat on its old foe Iran, which it accuses of harboring fugitive al Qaeda members, backing terrorism and trying to develop nuclear weapons.
Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi insisted there was no place for nuclear arms in Iran's security plans, but said Tehran would not abandon its peaceful atomic program.
"When we have attained nuclear technology and we have been able to obtain such technology by the efforts of our own scientists, this is the source of our power and every Iranian is proud of that," Kharrazi told parliament.
The International Atomic Energy Agency, in a report obtained by Reuters Friday, accused Iran of failing to comply with nuclear weapons safeguards and sent a three-man team of inspectors to the country Saturday.
Washington described the report as "deeply troubling."
The head of Iran's atomic agency accused the United States of using the report to try to make propaganda against Iran.
"There is no discussion of violation at all," Gholamreza Aghazadeh told state television. "The report goes back to 12 years ago and has nothing to do with the organization's current activities in the nuclear sector."
The IAEA, the United States, the European Union (news - web sites) and Russia have all urged Iran to sign an additional protocol to the Non-Proliferation Treaty to allow more thorough inspections by the IAEA, with little prior warning.
"An Iran which has scientists with whose help it was able to obtain this technology cannot be approached like this, cannot be pressured like this to sign this or that protocol and cannot be pressured to put aside its nuclear technology," Kharrazi said.
Iran says Washington should drop its sanctions against Iran and not hinder other countries transferring nuclear technology to the Islamic Republic, before Tehran can sign the protocol.
"If you want us to be transparent, come and help us," Kharrazi said. "You should approach capable Iran with cooperation, otherwise by pressurizing, you will get nowhere and it will lead to the growth of radical thoughts in Iran."
Kharrazi said in any case the additional protocol would have to approved by parliament, where government loyalists opposed such a move before and after the minister addressed the assembly.
