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Khatami: Enrichment suspension will continue as long as Iran-EU talks continue

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Caracas, March 13, IRNA

President Mohammad Khatami of Iran here on Saturday afternoon once again stressed Iran's legitimate right to pursue nuclear technology and reiterated that uranium enrichment suspension will continue as long as Iran-EU negotiations continue.

Talking to reporters prior to his departure from the Venezuelan capital city of Caracas, he said the Iran-EU negotiations will not last long.

Referring to Iran's close cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the three European countries (France, Germany and Britain), he said Tehran has repeatedly announced that it is not interested in producing nuclear weapons.

Making use of nuclear technology for peaceful purposes is Iran's legitimate right and Europe should remove the existing obstacles in the way of Iran achieving its goal, he underlined.

Iran has made suspension of uranium enrichment voluntarily, Khatami said, adding that this would be meaningless if Europe asks Iran to suspend all its activities for good. Such a request will be against the Europeans' commitments, he added.

Iran is a signatory to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and all its nuclear activities are transparent, he said, adding that Iran, as other signatories to the NPT, has the right to make use of peaceful nuclear technology.

As to Iran-Venezuela bilateral cooperation, the Iranian president said the two countries' relations can be considered as a good example for other countries.

On several documents signed by the two sides on expansion of bilateral cooperation, he said inking such documents has opened a new chapter in the two countries' relations.

The Iranian president further underlined the need to expand and consolidate regional unions and treaties.

For his part, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said Tehran and Caracas will continue their cooperation devoid of any domestic or foreign pressures.

Terming Khatami's visit to Venezuela as positive and fruitful, he expressed the hope that the trip would lead to further expansion of bilateral relations between the two friendly countries.

Khatami arrived in Caracas Thursday afternoon from Sarajevo on the last leg of his three-nation tour which had already taken him to Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Iran's ministers of foreign affairs, economic affairs and finance as well as industries and mines are accompanying Khatami during the tour.

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