Iran said today it was losing patience with UN inspections of its nuclear programme and announced that its agreement with the Europeans to halt uranium enrichment would soon come to an end.
Iran is taking a tough stance ahead of a key meeting at the UN's nuclear watchdog, which could decide whether to report Tehran to the UN Security Council if it is not convinced Iran's nuclear programme is entirely for peaceful purposes.
The United States has accused Iran of having a secret nuclear bomb programme. Iran says its nuclear programme is related solely to generating power.
Mr Hossein Mousavian, head of Iran's delegation at the meeting at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), told reporters the suspension of uranium enrichment was a voluntary gesture by Iran but it would be "just for a short, temporary period".
He said the suspension would include far fewer activities than the Europeans had demanded. He gave no indication when Tehran planned to resume uranium enrichment.
The enrichment of uranium is a process that can be used to make fuel for weapons as well as for power plants.
British Foreign Secretary Mr Jack Straw said Iran's decision to restart some uranium enrichment had damaged the confidence Europe had in assurances Tehran made over its nuclear programme in talks with Britain, France and Germany last October.