Iran`s envoy says IAEA resolution `one-sided and tough`
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
Vienna/Tehran, March 10, IRNA -- Iran`s ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Wednesday denounced a draft nuclear resolution on Iran, saying it was `tough and one-sided`. "In the face of constructive activities and cooperation of Iran and implementation of (international) laws and regulations by the Islamic Republic, the draft resolution must not have taken such a shape," Pirooz Hosseini told IRNA reporter. "Europeans tried to tone down the preliminary text of Americans` resolution, which was very much tougher than the existing one and omit some points, but the non-constructive efforts of Americans prevented the Europeans from fully achieving their objectives," he added. Hosseini said, "The resolution has now been distributed among member countries and negotiations are continuing on various articles of the draft." He said Iran `will render its best efforts` to include its views in the resolution in the face of US efforts to influence the IAEA Board of Governors` meeting so that it finds Iran foul of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty and trying to build an atom bomb. "Americans do not want to accept that there is no program in Iran for the production of nuclear weapons and all their desperate efforts are along this line. "America, because of the defeats which it faces in all corners of the world, especially in our neighbor in Iraq, is anxious not to suffer another defeat," Hosseini said. The official said, "America, by doubling its pressures on Iran, is trying to intensify its activities in international organizations, especially in the International Atomic Energy Agency, so that it achieves its objectives in this way." Hosseini evaded responding to a question on whether Tehran would review its cooperation with the international atomic watchdog if the IAEA succumbed to US pressures. He said, "Our condition at the agency (IAEA) as well as our cooperation with it would be definitely reviewed and finally it is up to decision-making officials of the country to take any policy which they deem right." Tehran says its nuclear program is in accordance with the country`s bid to produce 7,000 megawatts of electricity in the next 20 years, when the country`s oil and gas reserves become overstretched. The Islamic Republic has voluntarily suspended uranium enrichment and signed an additional protocol to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty for allowing snap inspections to prove its nuclear quest is peaceful. This followed the visit of British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw and his French and German counterparts to Tehran, raising hopes that the issue would be settled peacefully. On Wednesday, Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi warned the agency as well as the European heavyweights to honor their commitments towards Iran and refrain from making the situation `more complicated`. "If Europe fails to fulfill its commitments, our cooperation will not continue," he told reporters on the sidelines of a cabinet session in Tehran. Kharrazi also warned IAEA against taking any `wrong` decision against the Islamic Republic, clarifying that `such decisions will force us to react`. "While we have rendered our best cooperation with the agency (IAEA) and continued our negotiations with the Europeans but... unfortunately the agency is sometimes influenced by America," he said. The foreign minister reiterated Iran`s legitimate right to peaceful use of nuclear technology and renewed Tehran`s call on the IAEA to help normalize their ties. "We have voluntarily suspended uranium enrichment on a temporary basis in order to build confidence in our ties and we will definitely resume enrichment when our relations with the agency become normal," Kharrazi said. BH/AH/210 End
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