• Military

• WMD Menu                           

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Asefi terms "Powell`s latest remarks on Iran as disgrace for U.S.

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, July 7, IRNA -- Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hamid-Reza Asefi 
said here Wednesday that recent remarks of the US Secretary of State 
Colin Powell on Iran was a source of disgrace for the US 
administration before world public opinion and the Islamic states in 
particular. 
Asefi`s comments came a day after Powell claimed at a joint press 
conference with the Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom 
in Washington that Iran was "pursuing nuclear weapons development, or 
worse, acquiring a nuclear weapon." 
"The US is not following an independent policy towards Iran`s 
nuclear programs but instead is toeing the line of the Zionist 
regime in this regard," said the FM spokesman. 
He further noted that by raising claims about Iran`s attempts to 
develop nuclear weapons, Shalom was seeking to overshadow nuclear 
activities of the Zionist regime and preventing Israel`s nuclear 
secrets from being disclosed to the International Atomic Energy 
Agency (IAEA). 
The Zionist foreign minister made baseless claims simultaneously 
with a visit to the occupied Palestine by the IAEA chief in a bid to 
conceal Israeli plans to develop nuclear weapons and divert the 
world`s public opinion from dangerous nature of Tel Aviv`s 
nuclear programs, the spokesman added. 
He further argued that "the Zionist regime`s refusal to 
disclose its nuclear plans to the UN nuclear watchdog clearly 
indicates that it was stubbornly disregarding its commitments and 
avoiding transparent cooperation with the IAEA. 
Asefi also noted that Israel`s impudent reactions to the 
international demands for divulging its nuclear plans was a result of 
the US overt and covert supports for the Zionist regime. 
He also stressed that Iran`s cooperation with the IAEA and the 
European countries was constructive, complete and consistent, 
noting that the Islamic republic has always been fully committed 
to its obligations. 
The FM spokesman concluded that transparency, holding constructive
dialogues and using nuclear technology for peaceful applications were 
the basis of Iran`s cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog. 
1394/1412