Iran vows to resist pressure on nukes

Speaking in a Friday prayer sermon, the top advisor to Iran's supreme leader called for "resistance" and complained that Tehran was subject to "idiotic and childish" demands.

The Europeans "have told us to stop our nuclear programme and in return they will sell us commercial jets and trains", Ali Akbar Nateq Nuri said. "This is an idiotic and childish thing.

"Fortunately, the opinion polls show that 75 to 80 percent of Iranians want to resist, and that we continue our programme and reject humiliation."

He said supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has the final say on all matters of state, "has summed up our policy in one phrase -- if you (the Europeans) are reasonable, we will negotiate with you; if not, we have nothing to say to you.

"They tell us to suspend enrichment, but it is none of your business," said Nateq Nuri, noting that fuel cycle work was permitted under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

Powerful former president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani said the talks were still "moving forward step by step", but added that "on one or two points, we are still far away from getting what we want".

"I think that we can reach a solution and that we can reach an accord if the Europeans prove their wisdom and do not make excessive demands," said the charismatic cleric, who now heads Iran's top political arbitration body.

Iran was this week supposed to give its response to demands it halt its uranium enrichment in order to avoid being taken before the UN Security Council for possible sanctions.

The terms of a preliminary accord were hammered out during two days of tough negotiations in Paris last week.

Fresh talks were held in Tehran Thursday and Friday, but sources close to the discussions said a final deal had yet to be reached.

"It requires a big effort from both sides," the source said.

The Europeans are pushing for Iran to accept a suspension of its work on the nuclear fuel cycle, including enrichment, to ease international alarm over what the United States alleges is a covert weapons drive.