TEHRAN - Iran will "no longer have any respect" for the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) if it is prevented from using atomic technology and the full nuclear cycle for peaceful purposes, the Isna agency quoted Islamic republic's top negotiator as saying Thursday.
"If Iran cannot exercise its rights with in the framework of the NPT, it will no longer have any respect for this treaty," Hassan Rowhani was quoted as telling visiting Russian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergei Kislyak.
"If there are attempts to deprive Iran of its legal rights, the Iranian people will not accept giving in to force and are prepared to pay any price," Rowhani said.
"Iran is not looking for a nuclear bomb, it wants to cooperate so that there are no international worries," he said.
05/12/2005 11:03 GMT