To cries of ?Death to America? and ?God is Greatest? Iran's hardliner-dominated parliament passed a bill yesterday obliging the government to go on trying to develop a civilian nuclear energy programme.

The proposal, backed by 247 of parliament's 290 lawmakers, did not specifically force the government to resume uranium enrichment or end snap United Nations (UN) inspections of atomic facilities as some lawmakers had called for.

But the outline bill approved yesterday could incorporate such suggestions during subsequent discussions, lawmakers said in a session broadcast live on state radio.

?The message of this bill is that we will not give in to pressure ... The Iranian nation is determined to use peaceful nuclear technology,? Parliament Speaker Gholamali Haddadadel said after the bill was approved unanimously.

The European Union (EU) has urged Iran to freeze uranium enrichment ? a process that can be used for nuclear power or to make atomic bombs ? before the next meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on November. 25.

Failure to do so could mean Iran's case will be referred to the UN Security Council for possible sanctions.

Iran denies United States charges it is secretly building nuclear weapons and, despite being a major oil producer, says it will press ahead with all aspects of its nuclear programme in order to generate electricity from atomic reactors to meet booming demand.

Political analysts believe the parliamentary debates on the nuclear programme aim to send a message to the outside world that hardliners in Iran could force the government to adopt a tougher line if too much diplomatic pressure is put on Tehran.

Lawmakers who advocate resuming uranium enrichment said the bill approved yesterday was too soft. ?We must vote for a bill which puts an end to the (voluntary) suspension of uranium enrichment instead,? said MP Saeed Abutaleb.

EU negotiators will meet their Iranian counterparts in Paris on Friday for a third round of discussions on forging a truce for the row over the Islamic Republic's nuclear issue.

Hoping to persuade Iran to scrap its nuclear fuel cycle activities such as uranium enrichment, the EU is offering Tehran a guaranteed supply of nuclear fuel, help with a light-water nuclear power reactor and a resumption of trade talks.

So far Iran has said it has every right to produce its own nuclear fuel and will not give up that right. ?We hope Europe shows more flexibility so that we can reach an agreement?, Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi told a weekly news conference yesterday. ?Europe's commitments should be tangible, concrete, accurate and clear,? he added.

In a symbolic move to show popular support for the country's nuclear programme, students plan to form a human chain around the Iranian Atomic Energy Organisation's buildings in Tehran today.

BEFORE THE ELECTIONS

<B>Next US president expected to stop threats</B>

■ Iran said yesterday the winner of US presidential elections, Democrat or Republican, had to ease Washington's critical stance towards the Islamic state and stop using threats to force policy decisions.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi said Washington's approach since the 1979 Islamic revolution that toppled the US-backed shah had not been successful.

?The winner should learn from the past and understand that using threats and forceful language is not effective for Iran,? Asefi told a weekly news conference.

Washington broke ties with Iran in 1980 after fundamentalist students seized the US embassy in Tehran and held 52 hostages for 444 days. Since President George W. Bush took office the Islamic state has been dubbed an ?axis of evil? member, seen US forces mass on its borders in Iraq and Afghanistan and faced concerted US accusations that it has a covert atomic arms programme.

Democratic challenger John Kerry is unlikely to ease pressure on Iran, which will remain a key US foreign policy challenge whoever wins tomorrow?s vote. But he has signalled an interest in greater engagement with Iran. Asefi said Iran did not favour either candidate. ?Based on our experiences, they both have been in favour of pressuring Iran,? Asefi said.

<B>Amir Paivar</B>