TEHRAN, April 24 (UPI) -- Iranian Foreign Minister Manushehr Mottaki announced his country's readiness to reach a comprehensive settlement of its nuclear program.
Mottaki told an international conference on development and security Monday that Iran's nuclear program should be settled by the International Atomic Energy Agency's Council of Governors, and not at the U.N. Security Council.
He said Iran's referral to the Security Council was politically motivated.
"We hope Iran's case will return to its true place," Mottaki was quoted as saying by the Iranian News Agency, IRNA.
He said the Security Council will be facing "a new test," noting that the U.N. body faced a similar one 55 years ago when it opposed the nationalization of Iran's oil industry.
Mottaki underlined that the Iranian people will defend its "natural right" to nuclear power, which conforms with Iran's membership to the nuclear nonproliferation treaty.
"A Security Council member is trying to confront the Iranian people and arguing that it can possess nuclear weapons while Iran has no right to possess nuclear energy," Mottaki said. "This logic is not accepted and the Iranian people will stand as one to reject that logic."
Iran announced earlier this month that it enriched uranium successfully, touching off international fears and condemnations.
Earlier the IAEA's Council of Governors referred Iran to the Security Council after it broke U.N. seals at nuclear enrichment research centers.
