Iran rejects EU's nuclear plan

TEHRAN -- Iran rejected the European Union's offer of incentives in return for a suspension of its nuclear fuel work yesterday, paving the way for a confrontation that could lead to UN sanctions against Tehran.

The EU said its proposals were aimed at allowing Iran access to nuclear technology, but also at blocking work that could lead to the development of an atomic bomb. If Tehran resumed nuclear work, the EU said it would support US calls to refer Iran to the United Nations for sanctions.

''The proposals are unacceptable and we reject them," said a senior Iranian nuclear negotiator, Hossein Mousavian.

The United States has accused Iran of secretly trying to develop a nuclear arsenal. Tehran has denied the allegation.

The new Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, did not specifically mention the nuclear issue as he was sworn in yesterday, but he said: ''We are logical and respect international rules, but will not give in to those who want to violate our rights."

The EU, represented by the EU3 group composed of Britain, France, and Germany, has been working to find a compromise between Iran and the United States since Tehran's nuclear program was exposed in late 2002 after 18 years of work in secrecy.

''Faced with the first, negative reactions from Iran, I urge its leaders to give themselves the time to examine these proposals with care," Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy of France said yesterday in an interview with Le Journal du Dimanche.

''If Iran was to still not listen to our call for reason, we would be led to take the issue before the Security Council," he added.