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Rowhani discusses EU foreign ministers trip, additional protocol

IRNA

Tehran, Oct 21, IRNA -- Secretary of the Supreme National Security 
Council (SNSC) here on Tuesday elaborated on the process which led to 
the visit of three EU foreign ministers to Tehran. 
Speaking to reporters, Hassan Rowhani said the foreign ministers 
of France, Britain and Germany had earlier written to Iran and 
proposed to avert the tension between Iran and the International 
Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). 
Following the resolution against Iran by the IAEA Board of 
Governors against Iran and its rejection by Tehran, talks were 
continued with the foreign ministers leading to an invitation to them 
to visit Tehran. 
Before their arrival, an expert delegation visited Tehran to 
prepare the grounds for their trip. 
Europeans were pursuing certain aims in their discussion with Iran
including suspension of nuclear fuel recycling in lieu of providing 
nuclear technology, building power plants and supplying nuclear fuel 
in the long-term. 
"Naturally, these proposals were categorically rejected by Iran," 
Rowhani added. 
"I have repeatedly said that all peaceful nuclear activities by 
Iran including, uranium enrichment, are the inalienable right of the 
nation." 
There is no official in Iran or abroad who has the right to go 
against this legitimate right. 
The Iranian people also see peaceful nuclear program as their 
legitimate right, `but, because we had to resolve the Tehran-IAEA row 
we agreed to the the moratorium on uranium enrichment`. 
"This means we will stop nuclear activities for a short time. 
Although this decision has been taken voluntarily." 
These concerns have been clearly spelled out in the meetings with 
the EU foreign ministers that Iran regards the access to civilian 
nuclear technology as its legitimate right, he added. 
"However, in order to instill confidence we will cease activities 
for a period of the government choosing," Rowhani said adding "We will
not bow done to pressures. 
"We also turned the table on the Europeans and they agreed that 
the access to peaceful nuclear technology is a legitimate right of our
country and this has been outlined in the joint deceleration. 
"The third issue is Iran`s concerns that the additional protocol 
will not harm the national interests and prestige, which the EU 
foreign ministers also approved and the point is also mentioned in the
declaration. 
"The European foreign ministers agreed that the protocol should 
not threaten the sovereignty and prestige of Iran. 
"The EU official agreed to be more active in the region`s 
security. Iran warned them that Israel is the ominous threat to the 
region and it is our goals to establish a free nuclear Middle East. 
"We stressed on the pivotal European role to lessen the nuclear 
threat and they agreed, saying they will cooperate with Iran on the 
matter," declared Rowhani. 
Elsewhere in his statements, he said Iran will continue talks with
the Europeans with the aim of bolstering confidence to forge closer 
relations. 
He further said some powers want Iran-IAEA tension to remain and 
even strove to take the issue off the hand of the nuclear watchdog 
body and bring to the fore in the international arenas. 
"Our agreement with the Europeans means that the issue should be 
settled within the IAEA framework and they also, in an article to the 
joint declaration stress this point," he noted. 
On the general trend in Iran-Europe relations, Rowhani said, "On 
the whole Europe recognizes our rights and national security concerns 
in the goal of expansion of bilateral ties and cessation of tensions. 
"Iran agreed to the additional protocol on the condition that its 
national interest will not be infringed upon. 
"As we told the European we do not do this to placate the IAEA but
to end tensions and build confidence." 
The signing on to the protocol is the first step after which the 
legal process has to take its course and is up to the Majlis to be the
final authority on the issue, said Rowhani. 
"Iran and IAEA are cooperating and hopefully in the upcoming weeks
ambiguities will be removed in order to reach the desired stage in our
relations," the secretary of SNSC underlined. 
In related news, IAEA spokesman Mark Gwozdecky here on Tuesday 
said that IAEA Director General Mohammad ElBaradei is quite optimistic
about Iran`s cooperation with IAEA. 
He told IRNA that Iranian officials have already declared that 
they will provide the agency with the information on Iran`s nuclear 
program. 
Gwozdecky added that Iran announced its readiness to sign the 
nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Additional Protocol during 
ElBaradei`s visit to Tehran last week. 
Iranian officials had expressed their will for cooperation with 
the IAEA, while underlining their legal rights to peaceful application
of nuclear energy. 
Iran has called for clarification of the ambiguities on the impact
of signing the NPT Additional Protocol and has pointed out several 
times that it will ink the document once light is shed on all the dark
points in this respect. 
The IAEA Board of Governors has set October 31 as the deadline for
Iran to present the required complementary information on its nuclear 
program to the agency. 
Meanwhile, Iran is not committed to meet the deadline in view of 
its rejection of the resolution issued by the IAEA Board of Governors 
as illegal. 
Some experts believe that Iran may even provide the agency with 
the required information before the deadline, once it is assured of 
future access to modern nuclear technology. 
Given Iran`s constant emphasis that it will not ignore its right 
to peaceful use of nuclear technology, if the visit of the three EU 
foreign ministers ends up in Iran`s access to its requested modern 
technology, it will be a great success. 
NB/AH/210 
End