Iran on Monday dismissed US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's warning over its nuclear programme, as Britain ordered its financial companies to cease trading with two firms from the Islamic republic.
Foreign ministry spokesman Hassan Ghashghavi said Tehran would not listen to talk of deadlines, but added that it was committed to following international law when it comes to its nuclear programme.
He also repeated Iran's defiant tone that uranium enrichment was its "non-negotiable" right.
London, meanwhile, barred British financial firms from trading with Iran's Bank Mellat and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines amid alleged nuclear links.
The decision came after Clinton warned Iran on Sunday that world powers were running out of patience.
"The international community will not wait indefinitely for evidence that Iran is prepared to live up to its international obligations," she said after talks in London with British Foreign Secretary David Miliband.
Ghashghavi used his weekly news conference to respond.
"Our commitments under the international regulations are based on legalities. Remarks that bear threats, deadlines and timetables do not have any impact on us," he said.
However, Clinton also called the October 1 six-party talks on Iran's nuclear programme in Geneva a "constructive beginning" but added that they "must be followed by action."
"Words are not enough."
Western powers suspect Iran's nuclear programme is aimed at making atomic weapons, a charge strongly denied by Tehran.
A day after Clinton's warning, Britain ordered its financial companies to stop trading with Iran's Bank Mellat and the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines.
"Financial and credit institutions will no longer be able to enter into new transactions or business relationships with these entities, nor to continue with existing transactions or business relationships unless they are licensed by HM Treasury," Treasury minister Sarah McCarthy-Fry said in a statement to the House of Commons.
She said Bank Mellat had provided services to an organisation "connected to Iran's proliferation-sensitive activities."
It had also been "involved in transactions related to financing Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile programme," she said, adding that the shipping firm had "transported goods for both Iran's ballistic missile and nuclear programmes."
Last year, the United States imposed sanctions on three Iranian banks — Mellat, Melli and Saderat, accusing them of financing weapons proliferation.
London's decision also comes after US President Barack Obama warned after the Geneva talks that Tehran still needed to show "swift action" in answering questions over the atomic work.
He also issued a thinly veiled warning that more sanctions could be levied on Iran if it fails to do so.
The next stage in the talks between Iran and world powers comes on October 19, when officials from Iran, the United States, Russia, France and the UN nuclear watchdog meet in Vienna to work out deals under which Tehran has said it is ready to buy 20 percent enriched uranium from abroad.
Ghashghavi said that in the upcoming talks "price, delivery and the mechanism" of importing fuel would be discussed.
Iran has agreed to offer already low-enriched uranium for third party enrichment to 20 percent purity as required for its Tehran reactor.
Ghashghavi reiterated on Monday that Iran would pursue enrichment activities if no deal is reached, however.
"This doesn't mean that our hands are tied and we only depend on (fuel) imports… we are serious in covering our needs. If one day (the fuel is not given) we will definitely cover our needs but under legal and clear frameworks," he said.
Ghashghavi said enriching uranium — the most controversial aspect of Tehran's atomic programme — is a "non-negotiable" right, a stand maintained by all top Iranian officials.
Uranium enrichment has dual purposes as it can be used as nuclear fuel for power plants but also as the core for an atom bomb.
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