Iran said today it would not give up its nuclear programme, including uranium enrichment, despite international pressure to prove it is not developing atomic weapons.
"Abandoning peaceful nuclear activities or enrichment is not something that Iran is ready to compromise on," a foreign ministry spokesman told a weekly news conference.
He had been asked whether Iran would halt uranium enrichment activities as demanded by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in a resolution this month.
Inspectors are due to arrive in Tehran on Thursday for a round of further inspections and talks with Iranian officials.
The IAEA has given Iran until October 31st to prove it has no secret nuclear weapons programme, as the United States alleges.
If doubts remain about Iran's nuclear ambitions in November it could be reported to the UN Security Council for possible sanctions.
Iran insists its nuclear programme is solely geared to producing enough electricity from atomic power to meet growing demand and insists it has cooperated with the IAEA.
"We have been transparent. We have said we're not seeking to produce weapons of mass destruction," the spokesman said. "But we haven't received a reciprocal answer from the international community. The (IAEA) resolution that was passed was political."