MOSCOW, February 18 (RIA Novosti) - Iran reaffirmed Sunday its intention to continue enriching uranium.

Iran has been at the center of international concerns since January 2006 over its nuclear program, which some countries, particularly the United States, suspect is geared toward nuclear weapons development. Tehran has consistently denied the claims, and says it needs nuclear power for civilian purposes.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini said the suspension of the Islamic Republic's nuclear program is impossible because there are no grounds for this.

In response to Iran's unwillingness to give up its nuclear ambitions, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 1737 last December, which provided for sanctions against Iran banning activities involving uranium enrichment, chemical reprocessing, heavy water-based projects, and the production of nuclear weapons delivery systems.

On February 23, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will report to the UN Security Council on how Iran complies with Resolution 1737.