Iran, stung by European Union criticism of its handling of post-election unrest, accused the 27-nation bloc of meddling and demanded an apology before any more talks on Tehran's disputed nuclear program.

Iran's top military commander laid down the condition amid continued recriminations over the June 12 presidential election that returned hard-liner Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to power, beating rivals who insist the vote was rigged in his favor.

"Because of the interference of this (EU) group in the post-election riots ... they have lost their qualification to hold nuclear talks with Iran," Major-General Hassan Firouzabadi was quoted as saying by the semi-official Fars news agency.

Three EU powers, Britain, France and Germany, have led negotiations with Iran over nuclear work which the West suspects is aimed at bomb-making. Tehran says it is wholly peaceful.

"Before apologizing for their huge mistake ... they have no right to talk about nuclear negotiations," Firouzabadi said.

Together with the United States, Russia and China, the EU nations have offered a package of economic and other incentives to Iran if it will stop enriching uranium, a process that can produce fuel for power plants, or, potentially, a nuclear bomb.

Iran has rejected the demand, saying it has the right to pursue such work as a member of the Non-Proliferation Treaty.

US President Barack Obama's administration had offered to join the negotiations, but the turmoil after the election has dimmed prospects for any American engagement with Tehran.

Iranian hardliners, consolidating their grip after security forces suppressed huge street protests, have blamed foreign powers for the unrest, the gravest since the 1979 Islamic revolution.

Iran and Britain exchanged more hostile words about the post-election protests, with the Fars agency alleging that an Iranian employee at the British embassy had helped foment them.

The authorities detained nine Iranian employees at the British embassy on Sunday, but most have been freed.