Iran reaffirmed on Sunday that it would reject any UN Security Council resolution calling for halt of its sensitive nuclear research, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid-Reza Asefi said.

Referring to the UN Security Council's possibility of adopting a tough resolution on Iran's nuclear issue, Asefi said that "Iran will certainly reject it and cannot carry it out." "We will not accept any resolution that is against our rights," Asefi said at a weekly press briefing.

His comments came as five members of the UN Security Council are discussing a draft resolution presented by Britain and France that would legally require Iran to freeze all uranium enrichment and reprocessing activities.

The spokesman affirmed that the Islamic republic "will not halt" its uranium enrichment.

Tehran had expressed strong opposition to the involvement of UN Security Council on its nuclear issue, saying that Iran would continue its cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) if its nuclear issue returns to the framework of the IAEA.

"Any action by the Security Council will have a negative influence on our cooperation with the agency, and the involvement of the Security Council will direct the path of cooperation towards confrontation," Asefi said.

Meanwhile, the spokesman also rejected a call from UN Secretary General Kofi Annan for Washington to enter direct talks with Iran over its disputed nuclear program.

"It's obvious that all these artificial crises have been created by the U.S., which is against Iran's independence. So there is no need to have the U.S. in these talks," Asefi said. Iran has been reiterating that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes and its uranium enrichment is to make nuclear fuel.

However, the United States has accused Iran of trying to make nuclear weapons, a charge repeatedly rejected by Tehran.