Iran won't shut Fordow uranium enrichment facility

Iran will not shut down the underground bunker of the Fordow uranium enrichment facility, as its closure is one of the country's redlines at the nuclear talks with the major world powers, a senior official said Sunday.

"Fordow is one of Iran's redlines and will definitely not be closed," said Alaeddin Boroujerdi, chairman of the Iranian Parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, Xinhua reported.

Iran has taken measures to make the facility, located near the city of Qom, immune against potential bombardment by Israel, said Boroujerdi.

He said Saturday the Islamic republic has not halted the enrichment of uranium to 20 percent purity.

The remarks by Boroujerdi contradicted those of another senior lawmaker, Hossein Naqavi Hosseini, who said Iran has stopped enriching uranium above five percent.

The West's demands to shut down the Fordow facility and halt enrichment of uranium to the level of 20 percent, as well as the shipment of Iran's enriched uranium stockpile abroad have been among hot topics in the negotiations between Iran and the P5+1 group, which includes the United States, China, Russia, France and Britain, plus Germany.

The Islamic republic has announced that the West should recognise its enrichment rights according to non-proliferation treaty directives, and remove the sanctions on Iran. In return, Iran is ready to negotiate over the level of uranium enrichment inside the country and allow UN inspectors snap visits to its nuclear establishments.

Iran and the P5+1 countries held a fresh round of talks in Geneva Oct 15-16, and agreed to meet again in the Swiss city Nov 7-8.