Iran defiant as European ministers hold emergency meeting

European foreign ministers are holding an emergency meeting in Berlin today todiscuss the implications of Iran’s resumption of its nuclear research programme. The meeting comes as Western powers warn Tehran that it is likely to be referred to the UN Security Council.

But the Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said his country would not be intimidated. Tehran says it decided to resume its programme in the face of international condemnation because it wants to produce domestic electricity. But critics, including the United States, believe the country wants to produce nuclear weapons. British Foreign Minister Jack Straw will meet his German and French counterparts today. Diplomats say the main aim is to find out if dialogue with Iran is still possible, or whether the issue should be referred directly to the International Atomic Energy Agency and the UN Security Council. An emergency meeting of the IAEA could be called within the next two weeks.

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