Iran says again: no uranium enrichment moratorium

"There are no grounds for establishing a moratorium on nuclear research," Manouchehr Mottaki said in an interview with Iranian television.

Iran has been at the center of an international dispute this year over its nuclear ambitions. Some countries suspect Iran of pursuing a covert weapons program, but Tehran has consistently denied the claims and says it needs nuclear energy for civilian needs.

The minister said the West had recognized that the Iranian nuclear problem could not be resolved through threats of sanctions and reports to the UN Security Council.

"There is no other way but to conduct negotiations [on the issue]," Mottaki said.

Iran's hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad earlier said the Iranian nuclear program was transparent and that Iran had the right to develop civilian nuclear technology in line with international laws.

/RIA Novosti/