Iran has softened its stance on the declared resumption of uranium enrichment activities, but stressed that it will never abandon its rights on peaceful nuclear technology, the official IRNA news agency reported on Friday.

"Iran plans to continue talks with the European Union (EU) but it will never abandon its inalienable right to use nuclear technology for peaceful purposes," Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi was quoted as saying.

Kharazi said that Tehran would remain committed to the Non- Proliferation Treaty and the confidence-building measures, referring to the suspension of uranium enrichment that Iran has repeatedly threatened to restart.

Meanwhile, Gholam Reza Aghazadeh, Vice-President and Head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization, told state television Friday that Iran's resumption of some enrichment activities was "certain" but Tehran might delay it for a while.

Iran's softened attitude came soon after the EU and Washington warned that Tehran would confront "serious consequences" if the resumption were carried out.

Tehran is currently in negotiations with the EU on its nuclear issue, and the EU has been trying hard to talk Iran out of its work on building nuclear reactors.

Iran, accused by the United States of developing nuclear weapons secretly, insists that it will never give up its legitimate rights on nuclear technology and its related activities are completely peaceful.

Due to its dissatisfaction with the "prolonged negotiations", Iran recently threatened to resume part of the uranium enrichment activities, which it suspended last November to build confidence with the EU.