Ahmadinejad on Iran nuclear rights; will not be bullied
Iran-UN, Politics, 9/17/2005

IRNA reported that Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid-Reza Asefi said that referral of Iran's nuclear dossier to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has no legal basis and even if it goes to the UNSC, there is clear-cut procedure to deal with it.

The official news agency said: Speaking to the media on his weekly briefing, he added that Iran's high potential in the management of crisis has been proved in the past and that being referred to SC will not be the end of the world. In response to a question about resumption of nuclear activities at Natanz in Isfahan province, he said that the issue of uranium enrichment is not currently on the agenda. "We look forward to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Monday session and hope for promising results paving the way for negotiation," he added. Asked whether more IAEA Board of Governors member states are in favor of referring Iran's nuclear dossier to the UNSC, he replied that some countries may be subject to the pressure of the world powers and act against their will. About the extent of being optimistic that the dossier will not be referred to UNSC, he said, "If logic, wisdom, international laws and legal reasoning are taken into view, I will be one hundred percent optimistic that it will not be sent to the Security Council. "But if the matter is politicized and a single view is to be imposed upon Iran, it will be quite different. We should wait and see whether legal principles and international regulations will prevail or discrimination and bullying."

Asefi said the fuel cycle is Iran's natural right and Iran is determined to keep on its way to preserve it. "Based on the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), possessing fuel cycle is among our inalienable rights," he added.

Meantime, Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Saturday offered Iran's proposal on the country's nuclear program to the international community at the 60th meeting of the UN General Assembly. President Ahmadinejad called on the UN General Assembly, as the largest organ of the world body, to set up a special committee to compile a comprehensive report and draw up practical strategies for complete disarmament.

"The special committee should report on how the material, technology and equipment needed for production of nuclear weapons has been transferred to the Zionist regime in contravention of Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and come up with practical plans to make the Middle East free from nuclear arms," he said. "Certain powerful states are attempting to lay the foundations of a nuclear apartheid system through discriminatory approach to the access of NPT member states to peaceful nuclear material, equipment and technology."

"Therefore, we are concerned that with certain powerful states imposing their full domination on nuclear energy technology and sources and preventing other states from enjoying such technologies, we will witness a wide gap between the powerful states and others and division of world countries into bright and dark nations in the future." "Unfortunately, no effective steps have been taken over the past 30 years to operationalize the recognized rights of NPT member states to gain access to civilian application of nuclear energy as per Article 4 of the Treaty. "So, it is essential for the General Assembly to require International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to file a report as per Article 2 of the Agency's Articles of Association on violations committed by certain countries in preventing the operationalization of this article and to offer practical and applicable solutions for its materialization."

"The point which deserves to be given attention is that applying nuclear energy for civilian purposes without possessing fuel cycle is an empty term. Nuclear plants in a country, if they make that country permanently dependent on bullying states which spare no efforts to advance their own goals, will be nothing but to make the country and its nation dependent on others more than ever before. No popular and responsible government does regard such work as a service to its nation." "The story of oil in oil-rich countries under foreign domination is an experience which no independent country is ready to repeat," the Iranian president said.

Speaking to CNN, Ahmadinejad noted to the high prices and profits requested by some countries and western countries for the sales of nuclear fuel and indicated that this maybe a good business for Iran to get into.

Previous Stories:
  Iran's response to nuclear political games will be firm and serious   (9/13/2005)
  Iran should not be lectured to on nuclear issues   (9/8/2005)
  Iran provided nuclear agency with new information   (9/3/2005)

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