Iran Has Nuclear Holiday

Apr 09, 11:37 AM

Current Headlines: An Iranian official said in Mashad Monday the country is ready to negotiate with the West over its nuclear program.

Ali Larijani, the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, told a gathering of religious scholars that Iran's goal in negotiations was to assure other countries that Iran's nuclear program is peaceful, Iranian Press TV reported.

Western nations suspect Iran's nuclear program is aimed at creating nuclear weapons, while Iranian officials have said it is to produce energy. Iran has defied a U.N. Security Council order that it cease enriching uranium.

The agreement is aimed to give assurances to the negotiating parties that Iran's nuclear program is peaceful. However, we will never give up our rights in the negotiations, Larijani said Monday.

Larijani said Iran would not consider itself independent if it had to rely on other countries for nuclear fuel for its power plants, Press TV reported.

Larijani's remarks came as Iran celebrated a National Day of Nuclear Technology, which began with a national ringing of school bells.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and other officials were to attend an event at the Natanz nuclear site and people were expected to form human chains around nuclear facilities across the country.