European Union recognizes Iran's right to nuclear energy
Iran-UN, Politics, 12/11/2007

Leader's representative to the Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani said Monday that he was totally against Iran leaving NPT. "I am totally against the country leaving NPT and believe that if the treaty is well implemented it will be in favor of global peace," said Larijani at a press conference on Monday.

Asked to comment on a comparison made between Iran and North Korea over the nuclear issue, Larijani said, "Our approach is much different from that of North Korea. North Korea is after nuclear arms, while we are not. We are rather caring for our long-term interests. We consider nuclear weapons as destructive to world peace."

On Iran's accession to the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), Larijani said Iran is a signatory to the Treaty but it has not yet been passed by parliament.

Larijani said Monday that there is no reason for Iran to stop cooperation with the IAEA within framework of the modality plan. "Cooperation with the IAEA within framework of the work plan has a good capacity and there is no reason to stop it," Larijani told a group of reporters on the sidelines of a meeting on "Investigation of Nuclear Diplomacy and Foreign Policy of the 9th Government." When asked whether he had offered a new idea other than the work plan to the EU Foreign Policy Chief Javier Solana, Larijani, who is now Supreme Leader's Representative to the Supreme National Security Council, said, "We had had various discussions with Solana on political issues, one of which was the work plan."

He added, "Messrs (Iran's top nuclear negotiator Saeed) Jalili and Solana both are making efforts in this respect. I am informed of the talks and think both sides can proceed in the talks. In my opinion there are still capacities in that regard."

Referring to the latest round of talks between Iran's top nuclear negotiator, Saeed Jalili, and his EU counterpart, Javier Solana, the spokesman said on issues such as nuclear activities Iran adopted "principled policies which were stressed in Jalili-Solana meeting." The two met for five hours in London on December 1st. Commenting on a comment attributed to Jalili that he was not faithful to Larijani's commitments, the spokesman said, "On the contrary, it was the other side (Solana) who openly expressed disagreements during the London talks to ideas mentioned in previous sessions."

Technical talks between Iranian officials and members of a visiting delegation from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) started Monday. An IAEA team headed by Director for Safeguards Operations Herman Nackartes arrived in Tehran Sunday.

The talks are focused on the source of contamination at a Tehran technical university, the third subject to be examined in the continuing discussions.

Iran has in recent months had several rounds of talks with the IAEA officials focusing on outstanding questions over its nuclear program. The two sides have already held discussions about Iran's past experiments with plutonium and its use of P1 and P2 centrifuges. The source of contamination represents the latest chapter to be opened.

The agency sent written questions to Iran on the contamination issue on September 15 about the origin of the contamination in a technical university, the nature of the equipment used and the names of the equipment involved.

According to a nuclear official, Iran-IAEA talks are being held within the framework of an agreement signed on August 21 by officials from Iran and the IAEA.

Head of a visiting delegation from European Parliament said on Sunday that the issue of Iran's nuclear activities should be sent back to the United Nations' atomic agency.
Speaking in a joint press conference with Head of Foreign Relations Committee of Iran's Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Commission "Mahmoud Mohammadi," the EP official "Angelika Beer" said the ferver on this issue can be stopped by channeling it through negotiations. She said the European delegation's visit to Tehran is partly aimed at finding further ways and means of resolving issues with Iran.

Iran's Chairman of Expediency Council Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani said on Sunday that obstinacy of the US officials towards Iranian nuclear program indicated their hostility toward Iran. He said that they have gone to extremes in introducing Iranian nuclear program to the extent that even countries in this region which are friendly to them have raised their voice against growing threats posed by Israeli nuclear arms stockpiles to regional peace and security.

Iran's Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said on Sunday that the European Union's move to recognize Iranian right to use nuclear energy and to get its case back from the Security Council to IAEA is a token of courage and realistic approach.

In a meeting with head of Strasbourg-based European Parliament's delegation Ms. Angelika Beer, Mottaki said that such an action helped boost prestige of the International Atomic Energy Agency and the United Nations Security Council.

Iran said it won a victory over the US on November 15 when IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei verified civilian nature of Iranian nuclear program and non-diversion of nuclear materials in Iran. ElBaradei said in his report to IAEA Board of Governors that the "answers Iran delivered to the outstanding issues support the documentation."

Mottaki told the European Parliament's representative that confidence building is a two-way track and Iran will never accept extra-judicial demand to relinquish its legitimate right.

Iran's Majlis Speaker Gholam-Ali Haddad-Adel said Sunday that Iran and Islamic Revolution will not make a deal with anybody on its independence. Haddad-Adel told a large group of students on the Student Day that Iran's peaceful nuclear technology more than anything else emphasizes national independence and "that's our right."

Previous Stories:
  Pressure on nuclear agency chief against Iran by 'bad-tempered' countries   (11/14/2007)
  Iran welcomes any plan securing enrichment rights   (11/6/2007)
  Mottaki: Iran nuclear rights not to be trampled upon   (10/23/2007)
  Larijani-Solana discuss new proposals on nuclear issue   (5/1/2007)
  Europe seeks negotiation with Iran on nuclear issue   (4/23/2007)
  Iran - EU officials meet on nuclear issue   (9/27/2006)

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