Iran Bill backs drive for N-energy

‘‘The message of this Bill is that we will not give in to pressure…The Iranian nation is determined to use peaceful nuclear technology’’, Speaker Gholamali Haddadadel said.

Iran denies US charges that it is secretly building nuclear weapons and, despite being a major oil producer, says it will press ahead with its nuclear programme in order to generate electricity from atomic reactors to meet booming demand. The European Union has urged Iran to freeze uranium enrichment before the next meeting of the IAEA on November 25. Failure to do so could mean Iran’s case will be referred to the UNSC for possible sanctions.

Analysts believe parliamentary debates on the nuclear programme aim to send a message that hardliners in Iran could force the government to adopt a tougher line if too much diplomatic pressure were put on Tehran. Lawmakers who advocate resuming enrichment said the Bill was too soft. ‘‘We must vote for a Bill which puts an end to the (voluntary) suspension of uranium enrichment instead,’’ said MP Saeed Abutaleb.

Iran, meanwhile, said that the winner of US Presidential elections had to ease Washington’s critical stance towards the Islamic state and stop using threats to force policy decisions. ‘‘The winner should learn from the past and understand that using forceful language is not effective for Iran,’’ Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi said.