Iran refuses enrichment halt

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Iran refuses enrichment halt

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Iran will refuse to talk about stopping its enrichment of uranium at the next meeting in January on its nuclear programme with six major powers, the country's chief nuclear negotiator says.

"I am announcing openly and clearly that Iran will not discuss a uranium enrichment halt in the next meeting in Istanbul with major powers," Saeed Jalili said on Tuesday, after two days of talks with the six powers in Geneva.

Any discussions between world powers and Iran on Tehran's disputed nuclear programme must be based on co-operation, he said, and not pressure.

"A dual strategy is not helpful - it will not help talks to reach fruition," the Iranian official added

The talks were spearheaded by Catherine Ashton, the European Union's top diplomat, who is representing the five UN Security Council members - Britain, France, the US, Russia and China - plus Germany.

Officials from each of the countries were present for the talks, including William Burns, the US undersecretary of state.

Tensions rose ahead of the talks when Tehran announced on Sunday that it had mined and enriched its first domestic uranium yellowcake, the raw material needed to produce highly-enriched uranium.

The talks have also been overshadowed by the death last week in Tehran of a senior Iranian nuclear scientist, who was killed in a bomb attack on his car.

The attack left another scientist wounded and Iranian officials have blamed the blast on the West.