Khatami stresses Iran`s access to peaceful nuclear technology
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
Tehran, Nov 2, IRNA -- President Mohammad Khatami here Tuesday stressed Iran`s access to nuclear technology for peaceful purposes. Talking to domestic and foreign reporters after delivering his report on the Third Development Plan to Majlis, he stressed Iran`s well-founded positions on gaining access to peaceful nuclear technology and said Iran`s nuclear file can be closed provided other countries act independently free of US pressures. He further noted that Iran has always observed principles, maintained its interests and acted in accordance with sound logic all through its the way towards achieving its present status and stressed that it would never forsake its legitimate rights. Khatami expressed hope that all problems be settled through understanding and logic. Touching upon the recent report of the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Mohammad Elbaradei, he termed it as positive and said that the political will as well as the US pressure prevented the closure of Iran`s case in the IAEA. Saying that Iran`s nuclear file suffers no legal or technical shortcomings or faults, he underscored that nobody could ever deprive Iran of its lawful right to gain access to nuclear technology. He said neither Iranian nation nor its government would ever give up their rights which are now interwoven with national pride. Assuring the world that Iran was not seeking any nuclear arms, the president went on to ask the European states as well as other world countries to promise Iran that its absolute right regarding the atomic activities will not be overlooked. He stressed that Iran will not submit to any pressures to stop uranium enrichment activities and said such a decision would certainly come voluntarily and out of Iran`s free choice. On outlook of Iran-US relations, he said that at present he saw no bright outlook for future. He explained that given Tehran`s very important position and role in the region, Iran expected that its good policies in the region as well as its logical positions over the issues of Iraq and Afghanistan would persuade the US to reconsider its policies towards the country. He regretted that despite all these, the group which grabbed the power in America eliminated any chances of improving it by adopting extremist policies. He hoped the US would review its policies and attitudes towards Iran. In response to another question whether he preferred Bush or Kerry as the next US president, Khatami said this was a decision the American nation was to make but expressed his hope that any of the two elected as the next president would act rationally and realistically and try to enhance the policy of detente and establish peace in the world by avoiding any kind of interference in other countries` internal affairs. However, he remarked, it was not impossible to wish for the impossible. On hostility towards the press and arrest of a number of journalists, the president stressed that the freedom was an integral part of democracy but noted that this never meant that people could say anything they liked. Saying that he did not believe that no press should be ever shut down for its offenses, he said any move like closing down papers or trying their owners or writers in the court should be carried out through legal procedures. He also expressed satisfaction over the level of cooperation between the 7th Majlis and the government and hoped the devastated city of Bam would be reconstructed in a satisfying level before the end of his term of presidency. 1424/2322/1432
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
