Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

Former Iranian envoy to IAEA derides Europe`s unhelpfulness

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, Sept 18, IRNA -- Iran`s former representative to the 
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Ali Akbar Salehi referred 
here Saturday to attempts by the west to halt Iran`s nuclear fuel 
cycle saying that the time has passed to accommodate the Europeans. 
In a gathering at the Young Reporters Club, he added "it is 
highly unlikely that Iran will step back from what it has pledge to 
carry out." 
Currently, heeding calls to continue suspension of uranium 
enrichment is not possible and we should not be compromise anymore. 
He further said the the EU countries have not in any way carried 
out their pledges to Iran. "The trio of France, Britain and Germany 
have revealed their true intentions and did not assist Iran in 
anyway," Salehi remarked. 
He sternly rejected any talk of EU being a deterrent to US` plan 
for sending Iran to the Security Council as "imaginary" and "false." 
"We should be forthright and tell the truth, the European did not 
helped us on this issues." 
He said sending Iran to the Security council is predicated on 
several steps. First if Iran stirs away from peaceful nuclear 
activities and towards military use. Second, if Iran contravenes its 
commitments and bucks from cooperation with the nuclear watchdog 
agency. 
"Non of these allegation have been proven, and there are no 
mention of them in the IAEA secretary general report," Salehi 
underlined. 
"We are adamant that the IAEA cannot call on Iran to freeze its 
uranium enrichment activities, because this is not part of the IAEA`s 
charter and the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)." 
He said Elbaradei report has absolved Iran. The voluntary 
suspension of uranium enrichment should be separated from its 
mandatory nature to refrain from enrichment. 
"Based on the charter of the IAEA, the body has no right to 
deprive any country from it legitimate rights." 
He added Iran should not insist on closing of its file by November
because, although we welcome such a step if this does not happen at 
that date, then public opinion regard this as our failure." 
He said initially the proposal for dialogue last year was with 
representative from the EU, in addition to Russian representative and 
head of Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and Elbaradei. 
He also said although useful, any ruling on a compliant filed by 
Iran at the International Court of Justice at the Hague will be 
non-binding. 
The International Atomic Energy Agency`s Board of Governors 
adopted a resolution Saturday demanding Iran freeze all activities 
related to uranium enrichment. 
According to the IAEA spokeswoman Melissa Fleming, the resolution 
was passed without a vote, by consensus. 
The resolution was drafted by Britain, France and Germany Friday, 
setting a November 25 deadline for a full review of Iran`s nuclear 
program and calling on Tehran to `immediately` suspend all uranium 
enrichment activities. 
The non-aligned nations had challenged the draft resolution for 
taking Iran to task for uranium enrichment, which is allowed under the
NPT. 
In passing the resolution, the Board of Governors adopted the 
non-aligned countries` demand in one of the two disputed paragraphs. 
Moreover, Iran regards the draft resolution proposed three 
European states of Germany, Britain and France on the country`s 
nuclear programs as politically motivated, the spokesman for the 
Iranian delegation to the meeting of the International Atomic Energy 
gency`s (IAEA) Board of Governors, Hossein Moussavian, said here 
Saturday. 
Talking to IRNA on the sidelines of the IAEA Board of Governors` 
meeting in UN headquarter in Europe, Moussavian added the resolution 
paid no attention to a positive report by IAEA Chief Mohamed ElBaradei
on Iran`s cooperation and its good will. 
"This is while a major part of ElBaradei`s report has been 
concentrated on the progress made in this respect such as solving of 
such issues as laser enrichment process, uranium conversion, 36 
and 54 percent pollution as well as other progress achieved in P-1 
and P-2 issues," he said. 
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