Iran refuses to budge in nuclear standoff

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad sent a curt message to global powers vowing Iran will not give up its nuclear rights.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad sent a curt message to global powers on Friday vowing Iran "will not give up one iota" of its nuclear rights, in the first official reaction to a critical International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report.

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"The enemies should know Iranians are standing firm on obtaining their rights and will not give up one iota of their nuclear rights," Ahmadinejad told a rally in the northwestern city of Makou, state media reported.

On Thursday, the UN nuclear watchdog concluded in a confidential report that the Islamic republic had not suspended its enrichment-related activities, as demanded by the Security Council's five permanent members along with Germany.

The deputy chief of Iran's nuclear agency insisted the report was "not negative" and vowed to continue uranium enrichment for research purposes while keeping open negotiations with the international community.

"The report is very factual and adds that the Iranian nuclear programme is under the supervision of the IAEA and that there has been no deviation" towards any military purpose, he said.

Russia today expressed "regret that Iran did not fulfill the demands of (UN) Resolution 1696 ... And did not stop work on uranium enrichment", foreign ministry spokesman Mikhail Kamynin said.

Russia and China have consistently resisted calls for sanctions against Iran in connection with its nuclear enrichment work however, preferring a diplomatic solution to the crisis.