By IRNA,
Moscow : Deputy Foreign Minister in Training and Research Affairs Said here Wednesday evening Iran, as an NPT member, is determined to continue peaceful nuclear activities within framework of international regulations, under agency’s full supervision.
Ali Ahani added in reply to Russian media reporters and university students at the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Diplomatic Academy, “Iran is among the first signatories of the NPT, and as a responsible country, abides by its entire commitments towards the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).”
Pointing out that the agency has full supervision over Iran’s nuclear activities, he said, “The IAEA Sec Gen Muhamed Elbaradei has thus far issued over 15 reports on Iran’s nuclear activities in all of which he is stressed that NO deviation from the peaceful path has been observed in Iran’s nuclear program.”
The IRI deputy FM added, “Enriched uranium at Iran’s nuclear centers is sealed immediately after getting out of the centrifuges under the direct and full supervision of the IAEA, and no activity is concealed from the eyes of the agency’s careful inspectors.”
Ahani said, “Therefore, we expect Russia, the Russian experts and technicians, and this country’s news media not to look at the matter through the lenses of the biased Western media.”
The Iranian deputy foreign minister said, “It is our right as a member of the agency to be benefited from our defined rights within the NPT framework and to take advantage of the peaceful nuclear technology along with its nuclear fuel production cycle and complete with its low level enrichment facilities.”
He emphasized Iran’s determination to keep up pursing its nuclear activities while fully respecting the international regulations, arguing, “We are by no means interested in worrying the others with our nuclear activities and we believe relying on cooperation with the IAEA it is possible to seek a formula to ensure the others of the unlimited peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear activities.”
Ahani said, “There is one precondition for doing so and that is that the 5+1 Group should have trust in the agency and to permit that international foundation to continue its technical work, since Iran, too, is completely ready for full cooperation with the agency.”
He then criticized the conduct of some 5+1G members towards Iran, calling it “irrational”, arguing, “In response to the proposals made by that group for Iran we, too, presented a package, but keeping in mind that the conditions have changed, we are now updating that package, which will be handed over to the 5+1G as soon s it is prepared.”
The IRI Deputy FM in response to a question by the reporter of Nezavisimaya Gazetta reporter emphasized that Iran has no need to nuclear weapons, adding, “In this respect we are agreed with the stand adopted by some countries, such as Russia, that believe Iran should not get access to nuclear arms, assuring everyone that in the military doctrine of the IR of Iran there is no room for nuclear arms.”
Ahani added, “And let me remind you the fact that Iran was the initiator of the idea of declaring the Middle East as a nuclear weapons free zone (NWFZ).”
Pointing out that Iran also favors the idea of global nuclear disarmament, he said, “Iran once presented the draft of a resolution to the United Nations, which was unfortunately rejected with the negative votes of the United States and the European Union.”
About the Bushehr Nuclear Power Reactor (BNPR), Ahani said, “That rector that the Russian experts have accepted the responsibility of its completion ten years ago is going to be competed in near future and I hope that would be completed, as it has been lastly declared, within the next few months, when it would also be actually hopefully put to use.”
He said, “Any further elongation of the process of the completion of the BNPR would have a negative effect on the reputation of the Russian Federation not only at the IRI Parliament, Majlis, but also in the public opinion of the Iranian nation.”
The deputy Iranian FM said, “The BNPR is both a test and a symbol for cooperation and friendship between Iran and Russia, and will be marked as thus also in the history of the two countries’ relations.”
The Russian Federation Foreign Ministry’s Diplomatic Academy was established in the year 1934 and 2,000 students are currently studying there.