Resumption of nuclear work irreversible: Iran

Iran said yesterday its decision to resume activities at a sensitive nuclear plant near the central city of Isfahan was irreversible, a spokesman said.

"The political decision has been taken. We have handed over the letter to the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency). The resumption is irreversible," Supreme National Security Council spokesman Ali Aghamohammadi told Reuters.

"I deny reports of any delay," he said.

Earlier the White House warned Iran on Monday against restarting sensitive nuclear fuel activities at a uranium conversion plant, saying such a step could lead the United States and its European allies to seek UN action against Tehran.

White House spokesman Scott McClellan said Iran had agreed to suspend its uranium enrichment and reprocessing activities "while negotiations were ongoing" with European powers Britain, France and Germany.

"We've made clear that if Iran's going to violated its agreement and restart uranium reprocessing and enrichment activities, then we would have to look to the next step, and we'd be talking with our Europeans friends about that next step," McClellan said.Asked what that next step would be, McClellan said: "We would have to look to the Security Council," which could impose sanctions.

Iran sent a letter informing the UN nuclear watchdog that it would restart nuclear fuel activities at a uranium conversion plant near the central city of Isfahan on Monday, a government official said.

The European Union said such a move would be "unnecessary and damaging" and could derail talks over a package of economic and political incentives for Tehran in return for Iran's indefinite suspension of nuclear fuel activities.

Iran's decision to resume its nuclear activities may spark "a major international crisis," French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy said yesterday after a cabinet meeting chaired by President Jacques Chirac.