Iran said Sunday that demands from the UN atomic watchdog agency that it freeze all work on uranium enrichment were "illegal." 

Hasan Rowhani, Iran's top nuclear negotiator, said at a news conference in Teheran yesterday that his country would nonetheless continue with its voluntary suspension of what he described as "actual enrichment" the injection of uranium gas into centrifuges. But other activities, such as production, assembly and testing of centrifuges, were likely to continue, and he said Iran would limit its cooperation with the UN International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) if the watchdog referred questions about its nuclear activities to the UN Security Council for possible sanctions.

Rowhani spoke a day after the governing board of the IAEA demanded that Iran freeze all work on uranium enrichment and said it would judge Teheran's compliance in two months.

Iran is not prohibited from enrichment under its obligations to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. But it has for months faced international pressure to suspend such activities as a good-faith gesture.

US officials are insisting the 35-member board must refer Iran to the UN Security Council when it meets again on November 25 if Teheran doesn't comply. Iran rejects US accusations it wants nuclear weapons, saying its activities are only in pursuit of energy.

"There is no justification to refer Iran's nuclear dossier to the Security Council," Rowhani said.

(China Daily September 20, 2004)