Iran backs revived uranium work

TEHRAN, Iran - Defiant lawmakers shouting "Death to America!" unanimously voted Sunday to approve the outline of a bill requiring the government to resume uranium enrichment, a move likely to deepen an international dispute over Tehran's atomic activities.

Nevertheless, Iran's top nuclear negotiator, Hossein Mousavian, told the Associated Press in an exclusive interview that a compromise could still be reached with European negotiators to avert U.N. sanctions.

Britain, France and Germany have offered Iran a trade deal and peaceful nuclear technology - including a light-water research reactor - in return for assurances Iran would indefinitely stop enriching uranium. Uranium enriched to a low level can be used to produce nuclear fuel, but if enriched further it can be used to make nuclear weapons.

Washington has accused Iran of trying to build atomic weapons and has pushed for the case to be referred to the U.N. Security Council for possible sanctions if Tehran doesn't give up all uranium enrichment activities before a Nov. 25 meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency, the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog.

"We have rejected two possibilities: cessation and unlimited suspension," he said. "We told the Europeans if your target is cessation, it will be impossible. But we are flexible if your proposal is balanced."

Tehran maintains its nuclear program is for peaceful energy purposes.

Mousavian said some progress was made during Iran's talks last week with Europeans, who he said "showed flexibility and understanding."

However, those negotiations could be hampered if Iran's government honors calls by lawmakers to push ahead with enrichment.

Parliament speaker Gholam Ali Haddad Adel said Sunday's vote told the world that the Parliament "won't give in to coercion."

No date was set for discussing details of the legislation and the outline did not include a deadline for the government to resume uranium enrichment.

Another vote is expected on the bill when details are worked out, but that is usually a formality. The bill also requires approval by the hard-line Guardian Council.

Iran is not prohibited from enriching uranium under its obligations to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, but faces growing international pressure to suspend such activities as a good-faith gesture.

Britain, Germany and France have warned that most European states will back Washington's call to refer Iran's case to the Security Council if it does not agree to a compromise. The IAEA is also trying to persuade Iran to limit nuclear activities.

Iran, which repeatedly has refused to give up its nuclear program, last year suspended actual uranium enrichment. However, Tehran has rejected demands that it stop all other activities related to enrichment, such as building centrifuges.

Iran already has nuclear facilities in Isfahan and Natanz, but officials say that at full capacity they would be able to supply only one power plant.

Mousavian said a third round of talks with the Europeans is planned but not scheduled, after two previous meetings in Vienna.

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