The Iranian parliament Sunday approved a bill asking the government to pursue peaceful use of nuclear energy, including uranium enrichment.
The bill doesn't ask the government to immediately resume uranium enrichment but it brings greater pressure on it not to give up its controversial nuclear program. The speaker of the Iranian parliament, Gholamali Haddad Adel, said today after the vote in the Iranian parliament that the vote doesn't mean ending talks with the European Union. Adel said:
"Passing a bill in the parliament does not necessarily mean ending talks [with the European Union]. Talks can continue and the parliament does its own duty. Talks should not mean that the [Iranian] nation would overlook its lawful rights. Talks are for announcing the aim of the Iranian nation. In other words, that we are developing [nuclear energy for] peaceful use and we do not intend to make atomic weapons."
The West is worried that Iran plans to develop a nuclear bomb, and the EU has threatened to take Iran to the UN Security Council for possible sanctions if it resumes uranium reprocessing activities.
Meanwhile, French Foreign Minister Michael Barnier said today that a meeting between Iran and the foreign ministers of Britain, France and Germany on Iran's nuclear program would take place in the coming days. He also said Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov had expressed Russia's solidarity with the stance of Britain, France and Germany.
