Iran warns on nuclear issue abuse of its rights
Iran-UN, Politics, 10/23/2006

Iran today warned westerners against any harsh approaches and said it would make Iran more determined to go ahead with its nuclear activities.

"If westerners take harsh approaches, their practice will not be much effective, rather this will make the Islamic Republic of Iran more determined to continue with its nuclear activities," said Iran's top nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani in an interview with reporters after meeting Georgian Foreign Minister Gela Bezhuashvili.

Larijani said Iran will make decisions based on new conditions. He said Tehran favors negotiations and such measures would not deviate it from the main path.

On his talks with the EU Foreign Policy Chief Javier Solana, Larijani said, "The four rounds of talks with Solana prepared a good basis for understanding of Iran's nuclear activities and removing concerns of either side." He said that in the talks, Iran had provided answers to two main questions on "non-diversion of Iran's nuclear activities" and "Iran's deprivation of its rights" and presented formulas for both the problems. "We provided formulas for other problems too," he added.

Larijani said that in the talks, Tehran had announced that the Group 5+1 should take into consideration Iran's nuclear activities together with enrichment and fuel cycle as a whole.

He added that as for the question on possible diversion of Iran's nuclear program towards military purposes, the answer was that an international enrichment consortium should be formed to look into the issue.

Larijani stressed that Tehran reached agreement with both sides and "now I say that if the agreements with Solana are taken as the basis, it will be to the benefit of both sides." He expressed hope that Solana would be able to convince the Group 5+1 of contents of the agreement. "If the agreement between us and Solana, which has removed concerns of the two sides, is taken as the basis, we will be able to deal with both nuclear and regional issues in a peaceful atmosphere." He said that the two sides' resolve is the key to their adherence to the agreement.

"We are committed to all agreements with Solana," said Larijani, warning, "If Europe declines to adhere to them, it should be accountable to all the consequences." He said the issue of enrichment had not been raised at the beginning of talks with Solana.

On Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad-Ali Hosseini's Sunday comments regarding likely agreement on suspension during the talks, Larijani said the spokesman's statements had not been properly reflected.

"Useless talks are not helpful. Nuclear issues are fully under my supervision and we cannot expect the talks to be superficial," said Larijani when asked to comment on the rumors that outcome of his talks with Solana had been clear in advance. He added, "The talks whose result is already clear cannot be called talks." The Iranian nuclear negotiator was then asked whether his former deputy Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli's successor had been named, he said his successor had not been announced yet.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said today that no definite proposal on Iran's nuclear issue has been presented to the United Nations Security Council and that neither is any discussion on the matter currently underway.

He made the remark in response to a question whether the issue will be examined by the UN Security Council in October, while attending a press conference.

Concerning his country's veto right on Iran's nuclear issue at the council, he said, "Fortunately, or unfortunately, there is no point in using it." Some news agencies had earlier reported issue of a UNSC draft resolution on Iran over the current week.

"Negotiation on the issue is currently underway, during which the main goals of the so called 5+1 group based on the decisions of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and UNSC about the treaty banning weapons of mass destruction should be taken into consideration," he noted.

Lavrov hoped that such exchange of views will prepare the ground for better understanding of the actual conditions and reaching agreement on holding talks.

Russia has repeatedly underlined its opposition to sanctions against Iran at UN Security Council meetings and has called such an approach as non-constructive.

Recently he referred to lack of any evidence proving Iran's deviation from peaceful nuclear path to military and said that Russia disapproves of pressuring Iran by imposing sanctions against it.

In a meeting with Russian officials on Saturday, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice attempted to attract their approval of being hard on Iran, but failed, according to Russia's political circles.

US Department Of State spokesman Sean McCormack today said about Rice's discussion with the Russians that there haven't been any new discussions in regard to any commitments by the Russians. "The Secretary obviously talked a little bit about this on her stop in Moscow, but there's nothing new in terms of that commitment."

McCormack added "In terms of what's going on on the ground in Iran, the IAEA has the eyes on what's happening there. They do have inspectors that continue to be there. I can't tell you whether or not they have expanded from the 164-centrifuge cascade to something larger, but that has been our concern all along is that the Iranians are, it seems inexorably at this point, moving forward on expanding the number of centrifuges in these cascades and then linking those cascades up so that at some point in the future you will have industrial-scale production. You don't want that. You don't want that for a lot of different reasons. One, you don't want them to get good at enrichment and mastering the techniques and the know-how of enrichment. It's more -- this is science and art, and you acquire that knowledge through experience. And you also don't want them to expand to industrial-scale production, because that would be -- that would be something that would be quite alarming for the rest of the world because that means that you are able to start to produce, or at least have the capability to produce, large amounts of highly enriched uranium. McCormack repeated the US unsubstantiated accusation and insinuation that this Iranian ability "leads you to the building blocks for a nuclear weapon."

McCormack acknowledged that the IAEA is in Iran and watching their activities. Iran has repeatedly cited this as evidence that it has nothing to hide and the IAEA reports clearly shows that Iran has not deflected its civil program to making nuclear weapons, and is intended to produce nuclear fuel for civil nuclear reactors without being dependent and vulnerable to hostile foreign supplies of such fuel.

Iran's Government spokesman Gholam-Hossein Elham said today that Iran was ready to hold nuclear talks within the framework of international regulations. He stressed Iran's inalienable right to have access to peaceful nuclear technology.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran is ready to hold talks on issues of mutual interest," he said.

Asked whether Iran would suspend enrichment in view of Sunday's remarks by Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad-Ali Hosseini that the issue could be discussed at the talks, he said Hosseini's "remarks had been misquoted by the media." However, he was quick to add that "if the conditions of the negotation were fair, this issue could be discussed." "Suspension of enrichment was not the subject of Hosseini's remarks," Elham said.

Head of Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, Alaeddin Boroujerdi said Sunday Iran has no choice but to object to Western illogical stance toward the nuclear program.

Boroujerdi said in the joint meeting of the Majlis and government that the Iranian Parliament has formulated three laws to support national interests concerning the nuclear program.

Calling the national nuclear program as one of the priorities of the nation, he added, "We are obliged to proceed with our peaceful nuclear program. Iran's uranium enrichment is the focus of the challenge between Tehran and Washington." The legislator said that Iran should either give up nuclear program or accept possible difficulties and pass through such a course. "The West wants Iran to be weak and unstable. God willing, their dream will never come true, because Iranian government and Majlis will not permit the dreams of world powers to materialize." Boroujerdi said that Iran should calm the current situation and pass the phase successfully. "We will make our voice heard by the world nations, and make efforts to make decisions on foreign policy with peace of mind." Boroujerdi added that the Constitution calls for dignity, wisdom and expedience in line with the Supreme Leader Seyed Ali Khamenei's guidelines.

Chairman of the Expediency Council Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani said on Sunday that the Americans are well aware that Iran renounces nuclear arms in light of the ethical principles enshrined by Islam and their poisonous propaganda campaign against Iran has roots in their arrogant nature.

"The US which has brought Iranian nuclear program to the spotlight is the first country in the world that used nuclear weapon bringing eternal disgrace for itself. So, no other country would do so, because of subsequent disgrace," he said in reference to US nuclear war on Nagasaki and Hiroshima, Japan.

Peaceful application of nuclear energy is on Iranian national agenda at this historical juncture, he said adding that Iran is legitimate to use nuclear energy in line with the international conventions, a reference to Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and Safeguards Agreement of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Many countries are currently conducting research studies on generating electricity from nuclear energy for their next generations, he said adding that the Islamic Republic of Iran benefiting from its native talents should pay due attention to produce nuclear energy.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini said on Sunday any Security Council resolution on Iran would speed up the current negotiations between Iran and the Group 5+1 (permanent members of the Security Council plus Germany) to a stalemate.

He told reporters there are two directions, one is the Security Council and passing resolution and the other negotiations to reach an understanding.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran advocates the second direction and has emphasized the need for negotiations so far." Asked to comment on the latest statement of Chairman of the Expediency Council Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani advising the Europeans not to jeopardize the current process of negotiations, the spokesman said that any economic sanctions on Iran will have repercussions both at bilateral, regional and international scales. "If they opt for economic sanctions, Iran will reciprocate with proportionate decisions."

Previous Stories:
  Ahmadi-Nejad on transparency of Iranian nuclear program   (10/19/2006)
  Continued efforts against with Iran for nuclear issue   (10/6/2006)
  France may help Iran make nuclear fuel   (10/3/2006)

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