Iran Refuses To Hold Talks With EU On Halting Uranium Enrichment

Tehran, Iran (AHN) - The Iranian government has adamantly refused to hold discussions regarding the proposed halting of its uranium enrichment program, during its talks with EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana.

The EU has attempted to hold talks with Iran in the hopes of easing the building tension regarding the actual and potential purpose of Tehran's nuclear program.

Gholam Hossei Elham, the spokesman for the Iranian government, identified the halting of their uranium enrichment to be "a step backward and [it] is not the agenda of the talks."

Elham added that the halting of the uranium enrichment would be to violate the rights that the nation and its people have.

"The Islamic republic has clear rights and it is a principle to preserve its rights," Elham said. "It is a principle not to accept unlawful commitments and impositions."

Solana is expected to give feedback to the U.N. Secretary Council regarding Iran's response to the uranium halting proposal. The feedback will likely be the determining factor in whether or not Iran would be served with a third set of sanctions.

Iran has been accused by the U.S. of actively enriching uranium to secretly create nuclear weapons. Tehran has continuously denied these allegations, insisting that their nuclear program is merely to obtain nuclear power.