Monday, April 17 2006 15:04 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Tehran: Iran's top nuclear official vowed today (Apr 17, 2006) that the clerical regime would press on with its uranium enrichment work despite mounting international pressure to suspend suspect nuclear activities.

"Why should Iran suspend its research activities," Ali Larijani, the head of the Supreme National Security Council, was quoted as saying by the official IRNA news agency.

"One should not follow such propositions which are not rational," he said, adding: "Iran will follow its nuclear program with patience."

Last Tuesday Iran announced it had successfully enriched uranium to the level needed for reactor fuel, defying UN demands to limit its disputed nuclear programme.

The UN Security Council has called on Iran to suspend enrichment activities by April 28.

The five permanent members of the Council - Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States - plus Germany meet in Moscow tomorrow to discuss the Iranian issue.

"We advise them not to repeat past mistakes so that a reasonable atmosphere is created to follow up the negotiations," Larijani said.

He also dismissed the proposition by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who has called on the Security Council to adopt a resolution which could allow the use of force against Iran.

"Such statements are not new and will not affect our determination to pursue" the nuclear programme, he said.