President of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran Mohammad Eslami (Photo: IRNA/VNA)

He made the remarks in an interview with state-run IRIB TV while reacting to the US’s call for Iran to halt its uranium enrichment and to a report compiled by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Tehran's nuclear activities which was made public on Saturday.

Eslami said uranium enrichment is a right and a necessity for nuclear technology development. He said the IAEA report was heavily influenced by France, Germany, Britain, the US, and Israel.

The report says Iran has not fully accounted for nuclear material found at three undeclared sites and continues to provide "less than satisfactory" cooperation. The report appeared during indirect US-Iran talks mediated by Oman.

Five rounds of discussions held since April, three in Muscat and two in Rome, have focused on Iran's nuclear program and the potential lifting of US sanctions.