Iran says UN steps would spark confrontation

TEHRAN, May 7: Iran said today any measures taken against its nuclear programme by the U N Security Council would push Tehran towards confrontation with the West rather than cooperation with the U N nuclear watchdog.

Iran has been referred to the world body after failing to convince the international community that its nuclear power programme is not a smokescreen for building weapons.

''Involving the U N Security Council and adopting incorrect decisions will change the direction of work from cooperation to confrontation,'' Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi told a weekly news conference.

''It is clear any measure by the Security Council will have negative effects on the trend of our cooperation with the (International Atomic Energy) Agency (IAEA),'' he said.

Iran has already downgraded its cooperation with U N nuclear inspectors after ceasing to implement the Additional Protocol to the Non-Proliferation Treaty which allowed snap inspections of nuclear facilities.

The IAEA has complained that Tehran has so hampered attempts to inspect atomic facilities that it has been unable to pass judgment on whether Iran's nuclear ambitions are peaceful.

A draft U.N. Security Council resolution, put together by Britain and France and backed by the United States, would compel Iran to suspend its nuclear enrichment activities under Chapter 7 of the U.N. Charter.

Asefi said this was unacceptable.

''Discussion of suspension or a pause has not been on Iran's agenda and will not be so,'' he said. ''We will not accept a resolution which asks Iran for more than it has to give.'' ''We think the position of the agency should not be undermined and, secondly, we think the interference of the Security Council on this issue is completely illegal.'' Invoking Chapter 7, a move opposed by Russia and China, would make the resolution binding under international law and would allow for sanctions and even war, although a separate resolution would be required to specify either of those steps.

France and Britain said yesterday they hoped for a vote next week.

REUTERS