Iran's ambassador to Paris Ali Ahani reaffirmed yesterday that the United Nations' call for the suspension of uranium enrichment in Iran was "not acceptable".

"The suspension demand is one that has absolutely no legal basis. It is a political demand that is not acceptable to our public opinion or by parliament," Ahani told French radio RMC.

"We do not believe in nuclear weapons at all because we do not think they can guarantee our security, but we insist on the use of these technologies for peaceful ends," he said.

This statement came one day after Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said that Tehran was ready to "discuss" a uranium enrichment freeze, barely two weeks before a U.N. Security Council deadline to halt the sensitive nuclear work or risk sanctions.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Wednesday rejected the U.N. Security Council resolution, which requires Iran to suspend all activities related to uranium enrichment by August 31, or risk possible sanctions.

The five U.N. Security Council permanent members -- China, France, Britain, Russia and the United States -- plus Germany are waiting for Teheran's response to the resolution, by August 22, in return for an offer of cooperation.

Teheran considers that it has the right to carry out uranium enrichment, but the major powers suspect that Iran could use it to build nuclear weapons.