By IANS
Tehran : Iran Thursday warned the West against playing with its security as it could have a “domino effect” on the international arena, Iran’s official news agency Irna reported.
Playing with Iran’s security is like playing dominoes, Saeed Jalili, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), told reporters here on the sidelines of the international seminar on the country’s nuclear programme.
The “domino effect” is a mid-20th century US foreign policy theory, suggesting that a small change in one country would influence situation in another nearby country and would ultimately spread over a whole region. It was used to justify Washington’s policy of containment of communism and intervention during the Cold War period.
Jalili is scheduled to meet European Union (EU) foreign policy chief Javier Solana Nov 30 in London over Iran’s controversial nuclear programme that some western countries, and the US, suspect to be a cover for Tehran’s plan to weaponise.
The Iranian interlocutor said he would present “a new idea” to Solana at the meeting but refused to elaborate, saying he would reveal his idea to Solana only.
Nuclear watchdog International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which inspected Iran’s uranium enrichment facility, and Solana would table their reports in the UN Security Council this month-end for the world organisation to decide on its next step regarding Iran.
“As the anchor of regional security, Iran is ready to protect national and regional security,” Jalili stressed.
“World powers are now aware of Iran’s effective role in international security,” said the top nuclear negotiator, stressing his country’s role and its significance at the international arena.
He stressed those who created different crises in the region were now asking Iran to help them get rid of those crises, as they were not capable of solving them.
Addressing the opening session of the seminar, Jalili elaborated three major aspects for Iran’s joint nuclear cooperation with other countries.
He said opposition to weapons of mass destruction, preventing proliferation of nuclear weapons, and peaceful use of nuclear energy were the main principles upon which Tehran could cooperate with other countries.
“All those states that believe weapons of mass destruction are against world peace and security can cooperate with Iran based on this common viewpoint,” Jalili said.
He stressed that Iran’s peaceful nuclear programme can no longer be a source of challenge but a reason for joint cooperation, given the three major axes.
A number of foreign scholars from various countries, including Australia, Cuba, Russia, New Zealand, Germany and Egypt, are participating in the seminar organised by the Iranian foreign ministry’s School of International Relations.