Iran says it will not stop enriching uranium but is ready for cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency, provided the U.N. nuclear watchdog limits its demands.
Iranian nuclear energy chief Fereidoun Abbasi told state-run IRNA news agency Monday that his country will carry on with enriching uranium to 3.5 percent in its main plant at Nantanz and 20 percent at its Fordo site. Ninety percent uranium enrichment is needed to produce a nuclear weapon.
He also said Tehran will answer some new questions about its nuclear activities, but will not answer "thousands of questions." Iran so far has refused to discuss new IAEA questions about its controversial program.
Western nations have imposed a series of sanctions on Iran in an attempt to force it to halt enrichment, a process that can make weapons-grade material if done at a much higher level.
Iran denies seeking nuclear weapons and says it is enriching uranium for peaceful purposes, including electricity production and medical applications.
<p><span class="article11"><i><span style="font-size: 7pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","";">Some information for this report was provided by AFP.</span></i></span></p>