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Khatami terms IAEA resolution on Iran as "illegitimate, unjust"

IRNA

Tehran, Oct 14, IRNA -- President Mohammad Khatami termed here 
Tuesday the resolution passed by the International Atomic Energy 
Agency (IAEA) on Iran as "illegitimate, unjust and 
politically-motivated". 
Khatami made the remarks as he talked to reporters after 
presenting a report to MPs on the outcome of the third year of the 
the Third National Development Plan (2000-2005). 
"The resolution (passed by) the Board of Governors against Iran 
was an illegitimate, unjust and politically-motivated resolution and 
we have protested against the issue," Khatami said as he pointed to 
the upcoming visit by the IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei to Tehran 
on Thursday. 
The IAEA Board of Governors last month set an October 31 deadline 
for Iran to prove it is pursuing peaceful nuclear programs. 
The resolution that was submitted by Canada, Japan and Australia 
also calls on Tehran to clarify its nuclear program by the end of 
October and to suspend its uranium enrichment program. 
"Since we are have goodwill and are not willing to create 
problems, we have announced that we are ready to have all-out 
cooperation with the IAEA and reach an understanding with the world 
on the issue," Khatami said. 
"We want to remove the concerns of other countries about 
proliferation of nuclear weapons. We do not want nuclear weapons 
but expect those friendly countries not to allow big powers, which 
have always violated human rights and peace, to misuse the 
International Atomic Energy Agency, nuclear and human rights for their
own political ends," the president noted. 
He stressed Iran`s natural, absolute and legitimate right to 
use nuclear technology for peaceful purposes and said, "We will 
take all necessary measures to remove concerns of well-wishers about 
proliferation of nuclear weapons." 
"We are engaged in negotiations on the Additional Protocol to 
the Non-Proliferation Treaty. We will take our national interest and 
security into consideration. 
"If we sacrifice national interest and security for political 
considerations, the nation will not forgive us. We do not have 
problems regarding signing the protocol and have cooperated with the 
IAEA even beyond the NPT," Khatami said. 
He stressed that some important parts of the Additional Protocol 
have been voluntarily implemented by Iran while "We expected such 
issues to be included in the report presented to the Board of 
Governors." 
Pointing to the upcoming summit of the Organization of the 
Islamic Conference (OIC), Khatami said that such problems as well as 
those facing the Islamic world would be raised at the OIC summit and 
that "We hope to defend such stands." 
"We have proposals for the final resolution of the summit that 
Iran`s undeniable right be recognized and we hope to achieve success 
in this regard," the president stated. 
The Islamic Republic is already a signatory to the NPT. However, 
the IAEA is refusing to provide Iran with the nuclear expertise that 
under the agency`s regulations it is entitled to receive, arguing that
Tehran must first sign the NPT`s additional protocol that allows snap 
inspections of its nuclear sites. 
Iran says it needs to receive guarantees before signing the 
additional protocol that the sanctions imposed by the West are 
removed and that Iran will be provided by the nuclear technology to 
satisfy its energy needs. 
SF/212 
End