Iran Rules Out Complete Nuclear Dismantling

24 November 2004 -- According to Iran's chief delegate to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Hussein Musavian, Iran will never be prepared to dismantle its nuclear program entirely but remains committed to the nuclear nonproliferation treaty.

Musavian was speaking at a news conference today in Beijing.

On 22 November, Iran said it had kept a promise it made to the European Union last week by freezing its entire uranium enrichment program and the head of the IAEA, Muhammad el-Baradei, gave a cautious confirmation.

Washington accuses Iran of secretly developing nuclear weapons. Iran says its nuclear program is for energy purposes only.

(AFP/Reuters)