Iran will never give up uranium enrichment

Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi said Iran would never renounce its right to carry out the process, but was hopeful about the outcome of the talks with Europe.

Britain, France and Germany, representing the European Union, have been trying to persuade Tehran to scrap all parts of its atomic fuel cycle, particularly uranium enrichment which can be used to make atomic bombs as well as fuel for power plants.

Asefi said uranium enrichment was Iran's legitimate right, reiterating comments made almost daily by Iranian officials.

"Iran will never give up its (uranium) enrichment activities," Asefi told a weekly news conference.

Washington, which suspects Iran of using civilian atomic power as cover for a weapons program, backs the talks but wants Iran to give up its disputed nuclear activities.