By NNN-IRNA
United Nations : Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad thanked all the nations and countries that have defended Iran’s legitimate nuclear rights, including the members of the Non-Aligned Movement, its friends at the Security Council, IAEA Board of Governors, and its director-general.
Addressing the 62nd session of the UN General Assembly Tuesday, he voiced the Iranian nation’s readiness to offer to other IAEA members its experiences in the form of educational programmes and based on the obligations of the Agency’s statute and under its supervision.
“As you all know, Iran is an official member of the International Atomic Energy Agency and has always observed its rules and regulations and has had the most extensive cooperation with this Agency in all aspects. All our nuclear work has been completely peaceful and transparent.
“According to the Statute of the IAEA, any member has a number of rights and commitments. Actually, any member has to move on the peaceful path and, under the supervision of the Agency, assist other members and is entitled to be supported by the Agency and have access to the fuel cycle with the help the Agency and its members.
“So far, Iran has fulfilled all its obligations but has been deprived of other members’ technical assistance and, even during some periods of time, of the Agency’s support,” he said.
The president said: “For about five years, some of the aforementioned powers tried to deny the Iranian nation of its rights by exerting pressures on IAEA. They derailed Iran’s nuclear issue of its legal path and politicized the atmosphere to impose their wishes taking advantage of all their potentials.
“Iran spared no effort to build confidence. However, nothing satisfied them except the complete halt of all nuclear activities even those related to research and university fields. They were only after depriving Iran of all its inalienable rights.
“Therefore, even those centres not involved in the fuel cycle or not in need of the supervision of the Agency were closed. After three years of negotiation and trying to build confidence, the Iranian nation came to the resolute conviction that the main concern of these powers is not the possible deviation of Iran from the rules and regulations of the Agency but its scientific progress. If this trend continues there will be no chance for Iran to enjoy its rights, not even in the next 20 years.”
“Therefore, it has to be decided to follow up the issue on its right legal path that goes through the Agency away from illegitimate and political impositions by the arrogant powers. Of course, the Iranian nation has always been ready and now is prepared for constructive talks.
“By abusing the Security Council, the arrogant powers have repeatedly accused Iran and even made military threats against it over the last two years. However, thanks to the faith in God and national unity, Iran has moved forward step by step and now our country is recognised as a country with the capacity for industrial scale fuel cycle production for peaceful uses,” he said.
“Fortunately, the Agency has recently tried to regain its legal role as supporter of the rights of its members and supervisor of nuclear activities. We see this as a right approach adopted by the Agency.
“Previously, they illegally wished to politicize the Iranian nation’s nuclear case, but today, thanks to the resistance of the Iranian nation, the issue is back at the Agency and I officially announce that in our opinion the nuclear issue of Iran is now closed and has turned into an ordinary matter. Today many questions have been raised on Iranian nuclear activities within IAEA by certain powers which shall be examined properly. Of course Iran has always been prepared to have constructive talks with all parties,” Ahmadinejad added.