Iran will not cave in to external pressure and halt 20-percent uranium enrichment, the head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization said on Tuesday, Dec 18.

Western countries led by the United States suspect Iran of pursuing a secret nuclear weapons program, but Tehran insists it needs the enriched uranium for peaceful energy generation.

"The Islamic Republic will not stop 20-percent uranium enrichment at the demands of other countries," Fereydoun Abbasi Davani was quoted by Iranian news agencies as saying, according to RIA Novosti.

Abbasi’s remarks follow media reports saying that the next round of negotiations between Iran and a group of international mediators could take place in January 2013.

The IAEA has said an agreement on Iran’s nuclear program could be achieved in January.