Iran Says UN Nuclear Referral Isn't in U.S. Interests

Iran's new top nuclear negotiator,
Ali Ardshir Larijani, said a United Nations Security Council
referral on Iran's nuclear program wouldn't be in U.S. interests
and that it will widen talks beyond Britain, France and Germany.
``A referral to the Security Council isn't in the interest
of the Americans or the Europeans,'' said Larijani at a press
conference in Vienna. ``I am optimistic that we can pursue more
negotiations.''
Iran will expand talks beyond the so-called EU-3 to include
developing countries like Brazil and South Africa, Larijani said.
At the same time, Iran may pursue ``parallel track'' negotiations
with the Europeans. France canceled the next round of talks that
had been scheduled for Aug. 31. The country wants to present a
plan for ending its deadlock with the Europeans within the next
month, Larijani said.
It's the first foreign trip by Larijani since he replaced
Hassan Rowhani on Aug. 15 as head of the Supreme National
Security Council. International Atomic Energy Agency chief
Mohamed ElBaradei met Larijani today to discuss ``confidence-
building measures'' the country had agreed to with the
organization. Iran resumed uranium processing on Aug. 5. Enriched
uranium is the fuel used to generate electricity or nuclear
weapons.
Calling the IAEA Iran's ``main counterpart'' in its
negotiations, Larijani stuck by earlier statements that Iran
won't give up its nuclear fuel program. The IAEA is due to
produce a report detailing Iran's resumption of uranium
conversion on Sept. 3.

U.S. Position

The U.S. government said it would refer Iran to the Security
Council unless it halts its uranium processing program. Iran
rejected an IAEA resolution on Aug. 11 urging it to freeze the
program.
``If Iran doesn't take the steps described in the
resolution, we would expect that the next step would be referral
to the Security Council,'' Adam Ereli, deputy State Department
spokesman, said.
Arguments that Iran doesn't need nuclear power because it
has the world's second largest oil reserves ``don't have much
ground,'' Larijani said. ``Fossil fuels are on the decline at a
global level.''
Iran's oil production is depleting between 300,000 barrels
and 400,000 barrels of daily output a year, the nation's energy
minister, Bijan Namdar Zanganeh, said July 26. Iran's 4.11
million barrel daily production quota is the second highest in
the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries.

`Nuclear Apartheid'

Energy needs in Iran are expected to double in the next 20
years to about 60,000 megawatts annually. Iran's legislature last
year approved plans for nuclear power to generate 20,000
megawatts of energy for the country's 68 million people by 2025.
Iran's first electricity from nuclear power will be
generated next year, Larijani said. The reactor at Bushehr, a $1
billion venture built with Russian scientists and engineers, will
generate about 1,000 megawatts of electricity. The country will
unveil more planned reactors this year.
``The nuclear powers have it in the back of their mind to
form a nuclear fuel cartel,'' said Larijani. ``There is a nuclear
apartheid taking shape.''
One of two representatives on Iran's security council
appointed by the country's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali
Khamenei, Larijani was formerly Minister of Culture and Islamic
Guidance.