Iran defiant on atomic plans

By Edmund Blair

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran will not abandon its right to nuclear technology despite the threat of more sanctions, it told France in a letter published on Monday, a day before talks to try to defuse its row with the West.

Western nations accuse Iran of seeking to build atomic bombs under cover of a civilian program, which Tehran denies.

The United States has not ruled out military action if diplomacy fails to end the standoff.

But the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency said in an interview that Iran would need three to eight years to make a nuclear bomb, allowing time for negotiations.

Tuesday's meeting in Rome was scheduled to be between European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana and Ali Larijani, Iran's chief nuclear negotiator whose resignation was announced on Saturday. He will now attend with his replacement.

The new chief negotiator, Saeed Jalili, is a close ally of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Analysts say his appointment signals a shift to a more uncompromising line.

France, which has toughened its line against Tehran since President Nicolas Sarkozy took office in May, insisted before the talks that Iran must heed U.N. demands.

Tehran's refusal to halt nuclear work that could, if Iran wanted, be used to make material for warheads has already prompted the U.N. Security Council to impose two sets of sanctions. World powers are considering a third round.