By NNN-IRNA,
Berlin : Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Mehdi Safari Friday reiterated that his country would continue to cooperate with the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency and would “never” abandon or withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
Speaking at a news conference at the Iranian Embassy in Berlin, Safari said, “we believe the Vienna agency is a point of reference for the Iranian atomic subject. As in the past, we continue to discuss with the IAEA. We are doing our job under IAEA control. We will follow up within the in the framework of IAEA and NPT regulations.”
Asked whether Tehran had any intentions of leaving the NPT, Safari replied, “Never. We will always work with the IAEA and will never leave NPT.”
He stressed that his country was from the beginning involved in confidence building measures surrounding its nuclear program, saying it had answered all questions about the past and present.
Safari said Iran was “open for a dialogue” on not only the nuclear issue but also a wide range of topics, among them security and bilateral ties.
The official made clear that UN sanctions against Iran would only hurt the German and other western companies.
“You are suffering. We can deal with others to get the same goods and products”, Safari said, referring to Iran’s surging trade volume with the Asian countries which is expected to reach dlrs 100 billion this year.
He expressed readiness to receive German investments, pointing to his meetings with high-ranking German firm officials at the economic ministry in Berlin.
On Iran’s strategic regional role, Safari emphasized his country’s contribution to Iraq and Afghanistan to help stability of the two war stricken countries.
“Iran is a power in region has contributed a lot to both Iraq and Afghanistan to help restore regional stability,” Safari said.
On Thursday, the deputy foreign minister met separately with his counterparts from the German foreign ministry and foreign and interior ministry as well as the lawmaker of the co-ruling Christian Democratic Union, Eckart von Klaeden.