Iran Vows Full Transparency on Nuclear Program

[Judi Lynn]

Iran Vows Full Transparency on Nuclear Program
Tue October 21, 2003 03:45 AM ET
By Dominic Evans

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran pledged full transparency on its nuclear program on Tuesday as EU foreign ministers pressed Tehran to comply fully with an October 31 U.N. deadline to assure the world it is not developing nuclear weapons.

"We are ready for total transparency because we are not pursuing an illegal program," Iran's Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi told reporters following a brief meeting with the foreign ministers of Britain, France and Germany.

Diplomats said the EU ministers would offer Iran some help with developing a civilian nuclear energy program in return for its full cooperation with a tough International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) resolution which set the deadline.

"Naturally our rights should be respected and what's legitimate for us should be respected as well as our dignity and security," said Kharrazi, who described the talks as positive. (snip?...)

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[Kellanved]

1. follow-up: Iran agrees to suspend uranium enrichment

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran has agreed with EU foreign ministers to suspend its disputed uranium enrichment programme and sign an agreement allowing tougher U.N. inspections of its nuclear sites, an Iranian official says.

"We agreed to will suspend enrichment and sign the protocol" on tougher inspections, said the official on Tuesday, who declined to be named.

A European diplomat had earlier told Reuters Iran had agreed to halt uranium enrichment and reprocessing of nuclear fuel -- key demands of Western powers who fear Iran may have a covert nuclear arms programme.



http://www.reuters.co.uk/newsPackageArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=391356§ion=news