Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Cui Tiankai will head for
Iran Monday, according to the Foreign Ministry.
During his stay, he will confer the Iranian side on Iran's
nuclear issue and other international and regional issues of common
concern.
Iran warned on Sunday that it would withdraw from the
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) if its "inalienable
rights" are deprived of, the official IRNA news agency
reported.
"If depriving Iran of its inalienable rights is the result of
its membership in international organizations, including the IAEA,
our withdrawal from such bodies is well justified," parliamentary
speaker Gholam-Ali Hadad-Adel was quoted as saying.
He reiterated Iran's rejection to a UN Security Council
resolution that urges Tehran to "suspend all enrichment-related and
reprocessing activities, including research and development" by
August 31 or face the prospect of sanctions.
The Iranian parliament chief, however, emphasized that the path
of negotiations was still open to solve the country's nuclear
issue.
The UN Security Council on July 31 adopted a resolution urging
Tehran to "suspend all enrichment-related and reprocessing
activities, including research and development" by August 31 or
face the prospect of sanctions.
Due to the insistence of council members such as Russia and
China, the resolution dropped the threat of immediate sanctions and
required the council to hold further discussions before sanctions
are considered.
Iranian officials have recently expressed indignation over the
UN demand, warning the world body against taking acrimonious
measures to force Iran to comply or Iran would quit the nuclear
Non-Proliferation Treaty and stop cooperation with the IAEA.
An Iranian member of the parliament warned Saturday that the
West may demand more concession from Iran even if the Islamic
Republic agrees to suspend its uranium enrichment, local Fars News
Agency reported.
The US has accused Iran of secretly developing nuclear weapons
under a civilian front, a charge categorically denied by Tehran
which says that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.
(Xinhua News Agency August 14, 2006)
