Iran not to give up nuclear rights

Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Saeed Jalili, who is in charge of the nuclear file, addressed the European Parliament in Brussels on Wednesday.   During his speech, he reaffirmed his country's right to pursue a nuclear program. However, he added Tehran would work with inspectors to clear up doubts voiced by international critics.

"Why shouldn't we have the right to uranium enrichment?," Jalili said in Brussels, a day after world powers agreed the outlines of a new sanctions resolution against Iran. "Everyone acknowledges those activities are peaceful," he said according to Reuters. "In our defense doctrine, nuclear has no place."

Jalili did not comment directly on the likelihood of further sanctions, telling reporters only that Tehran viewed the whole referral to the U.N. Security Council as illegal. Jalili said Iran would cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency in such a way that its director general Mohamed El-Baradei would be in a position to report on outstanding concerns of the international community in March.

"Iran has gone beyond its obligations," Jalili noted.