Tehran, July 8 (Xinhua-ANI): An Iranian lawmaker said permanent suspension of 20-percent uranium enrichment is "by no means acceptable" for Iran, but temporary suspension can be accepted conditionally, Press TV reported Sunday.
"The reality is that the Islamic Republic of Iran has no problem for negotiating this issue (halting uranium enrichment), provided that the P5+1 group, including Britain, China, France, Russia, the United States and Germany, accept to meet Iran's need for 20-percent enriched uranium," Mohammad Hassan Asferi, a member of Majlis (parliament) National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, said Saturday.
The lawmaker emphasized that Iran would never accept a permanent suspension of enrichment, saying that "The West should set a specific period for the suspension of enrichment. For example, they should tell Iran to suspend 20-percent enrichment for two years and then the West will meet Iran's (enriched uranium) needs. Otherwise, permanent suspension of enrichment is by no means acceptable."
Asferi said even the acceptance of a temporary suspension of 20- percent enrichment will depend on the termination of sanctions against Iran.
The United States and European Union have imposed several rounds of sanctions to pressure Iran to give up its uranium enrichment activities.
Days after some fresh U.S. sanctions started prohibiting the world's banks from conducting oil transactions with Iranian banks, a new EU oil embargo that prevent its member states from buying Iranian crude took effect on July 1.
The United States, Israel and some other Western countries suspect that the Iranian nuclear program is a cover for building nuclear weapons. The Islamic republic has rejected the allegations and insisted on the "peaceful" nature of its nuclear activities. (Xinhua-ANI)
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