VIENNA-TEHRAN, First of August (IPS) Iran handed over an official letter to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) informing the international nuclear watchdog that it would resume activities at the Uranium Conversion Facility (UCF) in Esfahan, in central Iran, the official Iranian news agency reported from Vienna.

Iran would cut seals at UCF as from Monday

Mr. Mohammad Mehdi Akhoundzadeh, Iran's Ambassador to both Austria and United Nations organisations in the Austrian capital confirmed the information, telling IRNA that the letter had been given to IAEA officials "a few minutes ago".

He did not give more details.

But in Tehran, Ali Agha Mohammadi, the spokesman for the Supreme Council on National Security (SCNS) that oversees all talks on Iran's nuclear programmes with the European Union's so-called "Big 3" reiterated on Monday first August 2005 that "as soon as the letter is registered with the IAEA, Iran would proceed with cutting the seals -- placed by the IAEA's inspectors at the UCF installations -- in presence of international nuclear inspectors and experts.

He and other Iranian officials insisted that the activities of the Esfahan plant had nothing to do with enriching uranium, a process that Tehran has suspended from November 2003 and says it would continue for the duration of talks with the Big 3.

Britain's Foreign Office, in its capacity of the present president of the 25-members European Union immediately warned Tehran "not to take any action that would damage the ongoing talks unnecessarily" and assured Iran that the European negotiators would give Iran their "full and comprehensive proposal" by 10 of August, a deadline that Iran has already rejected. ENDS IRAN BIG 3 NUCLEAR 1805