Iran's nuclear transparency to be revealed through talks
Iran-UN, Politics, 11/18/2006

Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Jalili, in an interview with the Italian daily, Corriere della Sera, said that the transparency of Iran's nuclear activities can be revealed through talks.

Jalili, who submitted President Mahmoud Ahmadi-Nejad's message to the Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi yesterday, referred to its content and said that both Italy and Iran are significant countries and inheritors of great civilizations.

"Italy is our first trade partner in Europe and the two countries have common views on various international issues. Therefore, cooperation between the two sides can contribute to promotion of world peace," he said, adding that this is the main topic of Ahmadi-Nejad's letter.

In response to a question what Iran and Italy can do in this respect, he said, "Iran has signed up to NPT and is a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Therefore it will comply with its commitments within the frameworks of the signed treaty." "Given the peaceful and non-military nature of our nuclear program, there are ways to prove it. The IAEA inspectors can proceed with their inspections based on the relevant regulations." The spokesman referred to the visit of 2,000 inspectors to Iran's nuclear facilities as an example.

"The uranium enrichment process was voluntarily suspended by Iran for two years. Besides, we proposed all countries to participate in our nuclear program.

"Such suspension was ratified by Majlis and we had to comply with the relevant bill and it continued until the country's nuclear dossier was sent to the United Nations Security Council," he added.

Asked about his reaction to such a letter (Ahmadi-Nejad's) if he were in place of Prodi and Italian Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema, he said, "In the letter, we have declared readiness for cooperation with Italy in various fields." Foreign Minister Manocheher Mottaki yesterday asserted Iran's right to construct nuclear power plants, saying these would be used only to meet domestic energy requirements.

he said "There is no reason for us to yield to illogical demands made and double standards applied by certain powers," in apparent reference to the US.

Iran's new Ambassador to Kuwait Ali Jannati asked today about reasons behind Iran's insistence on enriching uranium inside its territory, Jannati said, "Our insistence emanates from our inalienable right for enrichment particularly with respect to the fact that Iran has been committed to all international regulations." Meantime, Djibouti's President Ismail Omar Guelleh yesterday expressed support for Iran's inalienable right to pursue nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.

Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadi-Nejad said on Thursday night that the Iranian nation's insistence on its inalienable nuclear right was a self-motivated move. "Bullying powers have repeatedly called on Iran not to nationalize the nuclear issue. We tell them that our nation has no complicated weapons, like those belonging to enemies, to confront with them.

"The Iranian nation has no economic power as enemies have but it has displayed its power and dignity against enemies through its presence at different scenes," he said.

He added, "Visits to various provinces manifest parts of the Iranian people's power. The people's gatherings during provincial visits will display their power and weaken enemies. The visits will neutralize all plots of enemies. No one can adopt a measure against our nation." Ahmadi-Nejad stated that people's presence at provincial visits show a national solidarity and a deep political unity, stressing, "The solidarity will strengthen national power. People's presence at various scenes leads to the government's strength."

Previous Stories:
  Solana to Iran: EU willing to negotiate nuclear issue   (11/13/2006)
  Iran urged to build more nuclear power plants   (11/7/2006)
  Iran's nuclear achievements immune from threats   (10/31/2006)

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