[02 November 2004] TEHRAN,(Saba) - President Mohammad Khatami said on Tuesday he was optimistic talks with the European Union would yield a solution to the dispute over Iran's nuclear program, which Washington says is a covert
bid for atomic arms.

"If the EU accepts our right to produce nuclear technology for peaceful purposes, we are ready to assure the world and the EU that we will not pursue nuclear weapons," Khatami told reporters. "We can reach a solution,
I am optimistic."

A new round of talks between the European Union and Iran would to take place in Paris on Friday.

"We are ready to reach an agreement. We will continue negotiations and hope that, with the realization of the Iranian nation's rights, we will pass this stage. I'm not pessimistic in this regard."

Iran says its nuclear ambitions do not go beyond a desire to produce electricity from atomic reactors. But its insistence that it wants to make its own nuclear fuel for the reactors has raised concerns it could use the same facilities to produce atomic bombs.

TD/TD

SABA