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Spokesman says EU has not threatened Iran over nuclear issuel

IRNA

Tehran, Sept 1, IRNA -- Government Spokesman Abdollah Ramezanzadeh in 
his weekly press conference here on Monday said Iran has not been 
threatened by the European Union on the nuclear issues. 
Concerning Iran`s reply to the EU`s Foreign Policy Chief Javier 
Solana on signing the additional protocol to the Nuclear 
Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) by Iran, Ramezanzadeh said that Iran 
has never been threatened on the issue and does not expect its EU 
friends to do so. 
"The world is well aware that we shall not accept any threat, 
but would rather base our foreign and domestic policies on securing 
our national interests and that of other nations," he noted. 
Turning to the world concerns over the weapons of mass destruction
(WMD), he expressed Iran`s firm belief that the Middle East should be 
free from all types of WMD and nuclear weapons. 
"That`s why atomic weapons have no place in our defensive 
strategies," he added. 
Referring to production of nuclear weapons as a measure against 
human and Islamic principles, ramezanzadeh said that a Middle East 
free from WMD will also be in Iran`s interest. 
Pointing to the recent visit of International Atomic Energy Agency
(IAEA) legal delegation to Iran and its meetings with a number of 
Iranian high-ranking officials, he said that it was mainly aiming at 
clarifying some ambiguous points on the issue. 
Asked on the schedule for signing the Additional Protocol, he 
said that no date has yet been specified adding that Iran is ready to 
launch negotiations on how to approach the Protocol. 
"The inspection delegation was mainly concerned with briefing us 
on the requirements and content of the Additional Protocol to prepare 
us for the upcoming negotiations," he added. 
There still remain several ambiguous points to be clarified, one 
being the official acknowledgement of our right to peaceful 
application of atomic energy, said Ramezanzadeh. 
He added that Iran is willing to find out the benefit of signing 
such a protocol and whether IAEA will fulfill its commitments if Iran 
accepts all the conditions set. 
Stressing that Iran has no worries over inspection, he said that 
IAEA inspectors have been allowed to inspect all the nuclear 
installations of their request within the past two months. 
MP/214 
End