Iran dismisses European criticism of atomic plant

Iran's ambassador to the UN in Vienna dismissed European criticism of Iran's uranium-conversion activities on Thursday and reaffirmed his country's commitment to nuclear co-operation with France, Germany and Britain.
The European Union's "Big Three" powers said in a strongly worded statement on Wednesday that Iran's announcement it was starting up a uranium conversion plant near its central city of Isfahan sent the wrong signal and would make it harder for the country to regain international confidence.
"It's a totally separate issue from our commitment to the suspension of uranium enrichment," ambassador Pirooz Hosseini told Reuters in a telephone interview.
Wednesday's statement reflected the Big Three's frustration with Iran, which has repeatedly violated its obligation to inform the United Nations of its nuclear activities.
Under fire over US allegations that its atomic energy programme is a front to build nuclear weapons, Tehran promised the Europeans last October it would suspend uranium enrichment and accept tougher inspections by the UN nuclear watchdog in exchange for peaceful nuclear technology.
Asked if Iran would be willing to shut down the conversion plant to appease the Europeans, Hosseini said: "I have not heard of such a decision from our government".
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has said the conversion process was not included in a list of enrichment-related activities Iran has agreed to suspend.
Western diplomats said the IAEA had wanted Tehran to include conversion in the suspension though the final agreement reached by the Europeans and Iran in February left it out.
Uranium conversion plants are key to the enrichment process. They convert uranium oxide concentrate into uranium hexafluoride gas, which is placed in centrifuges, the machines that enrich uranium. The element can then be used to make fuel or weapons.
IRAN COMMITTED TO EU CO-OPERATION: Hosseini said Tehran would be talking with the three European states "tomorrow and in the days ahead" about their criticism of Iran's conversion plant.
"Our co-operation with the three countries and with the EU will continue," he said. "We maintain our commitments and they have been trying to do the same. This suspension of enrichment will continue."