Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi denounced the "arrogance" and "extremist posture" of certain countries, as the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) board of governors met in Vienna to consider a draft resolution on the issue.

"Unfortunately, some are trying openly and willfully to destroy the process of cooperation between Iran and the agency and seeking to cut the agency out of the process," Kharazi said, in remarks carried by the state news agency

"If the extremists take control of the matter and do not recognize our legitimate rights to have peaceful nuclear activities, we will then be obliged to review the situation and the current level of cooperation with the agency," he added.

In particular, he took aim at Canada's IAEA representative, who he said had "asked that the issue of the Islamic Republic's nuclear activities be immediately sent to the Security Council, thus wanting to ignore the role of the agency."

Over the past several weeks, Iran has reiterated its desire to cooperate with the IAEA and has repeatedly called on the body not to give in to political pressures from those who are convinced Tehran is secretly developing nuclear weapons.

France, Germany and Britain submitted a draft resolution to the 35-nation IAEA board on Tuesday, calling on Iran to fully disclose its contested nuclear program by October 31.

This came after the United States accused Tehran of being in breach of safeguards under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). But Washington supported a "last chance" for Tehran to clear up questions about its atomic program.

Wednesday's statement by Kharazi was was the first he has hinted that Iran might suspend cooperation with the IAEA.

Iran has for weeks been discussing with the body signing an additional protocol to the NPT, which would allow snap inspections, but has remained non-committal as to whether it will eventually sign.

The draft resolution calls on "Iran to provide accelerated cooperation and full transparency" to the IAEA.

This includes "providing a full declaration of the sources and types of all imported material and components relevant to the enrichment program, especially imported equipment and components stated to have been contaminated with high enriched uranium particles," which could be weapons-grade.

Iran should also sign the additional protocol to allow IAEA inspectors to make unannounced inspections and allow environmental samples to be taken, the draft said.

The draft did not say what would happen if Iran did not cooperate.

Diplomats said in the run-up to the IAEA meeting that Washington had backed off from calling for the agency to sanction Iran for non-compliance with the NPT, a move which would send the issue to the UN Security Council.

The signing of the additional protocol, something demanded several times by the United States, the European Union and Russia, has sparked a heated debate in Iran, with hardliners even suggesting Tehran should withdraw from the NPT altogether should pressures persist.

One of the government's concerns is that, should Iran sign the protocol, inspectors would be given total freedom of movement. There is also fear they might disclose military or strategic secrets. In late August, Tehran called for "total guarantees" this would not be the case.

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