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US uses Iran nuclear program to politicize Moscow conference

IRNA

Moscow, Sept 20, IRNA -- A Foreign Ministry official said Saturday 
that the US tried to politicize the Moscow conference on 
Non-Proliferation of nuclear weapons and shift its theme from 
defense-related issues to one of a political farce. 
Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Asqar Soltani told IRNA that American 
officials tried to sway the issues on non-proliferation of Weapons of 
Mass Destruction (WMD) to their repeated allegation of Iran`s nuclear 
program. 
Such accusations on Iran nuclear program are levied at the time 
when "the only nuclear country that threatens peace in region is 
Israel," he added. 
Israel posesses nuclear weapons and since the 1950`s and 60`s has 
a had a vast chemical and biological program. 
Iran has bore the brunt of the Iraq`s chemical attack during the 
reign of Saddam Hossein, Soltani said, adding that it has signed all 
international conventions on prevention of production of chemical 
armament and has received international certificates to that effect. 
Iran had the choice to opt out of the NPT following the Islamic 
solution in 1979 "but, has remained true to it," the foreign Ministry 
official stated. 
"The country`s religious tenets prevent production and stockpiling
of WMD and its nuclear program is fully peaceful." 
We will promptly announce our decision on the International Atomic
Energy Agency (IAEA) governing board`s resolution of September 12, 
Soltani underlined. 
Furthermore Iran has abided by the provisions of the IAEA, "but 
also reserve the right to have a peaceful nuclear program." 
Some countries voiced condemnation of the nuclear watchdog body`s 
resolution including the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) which, in a 
declaration, have pointed to shortcomings in the text. 
Soltani also called for steps to prevent bias and unilateralism at
international organizations. 
An Iranian official in Vienna said last Monday that Iran is fully 
committed to its NPT responsibilities, not because of its contractual 
obligation, but also because of its religious and ethical 
considerations, and it is to officially respond to the resolution in a
matter of few days after its study. 
Iran`s Vice-President and Head of Iran`s Atomic Energy 
Organization (IAEO) Gholam-Reza Aghazadeh told the 47th regular 
session of the General Conference of the International Atomic Energy 
Agency (IAEA) that Tehran`s cooperation with the IAEA within the 
framework of the comprehensive safeguards will continue as before. 
Aghazadeh said that being a signatory to the NPT, Iran`s right to 
the peaceful nuclear technology is an established and recognized fact.
The IAEA Board of Governors on September 12 passed a resolution 
giving Iran an October 31 deadline to prove it had no secret atomic 
weapons program. 
Following growing US pressure for action against Iran, the 
35-nation IAEA board passed a resolution setting the deadline. 
"The resolution was adopted without a vote, a procedure very unusual 
in the IAEA," said the agency`s spokeswoman Melissa Fleming. 
The resolution, submitted by Australia, Canada and Japan, calls on
Iran to `provide accelerated cooperation` with agency efforts to clear
up Tehran`s nuclear question marks. It also urges Tehran to suspend 
all further uranium enrichment-related activities. 
Iran`s delegation walked out of the board of governors meeting in 
protest. Iran has repeatedly warned that imposing a deadline would 
aggravate nuclear tensions. 
NB/211 
End