• Military

• WMD Menu                           

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

• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Asefi: No reason to refer Iran's case to UNSC

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, Nov 20, IRNA
Iran-Asefi-Nuclear
No reason could be found in the Friday report on Iran of the UN watchdog chief for referring Tehran's nuclear case to the UN Security Council, said Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi here Sunday.

Speaking to domestic and foreign reporters at his weekly press briefing, Asefi said the Friday report on Iran by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief, Mohamed ElBaradei, has proven the unreliability of its previous anti-Iran resolution.

"ElBaradei's report actually indicates Iran's commitment to the international regulations and safeguards and has positive points in it."
He stressed that no negative point is seen in the report.

Asefi expressed regret that the case has not been totally closed in the IAEA's report despite the acknowledgement about Iran's good cooperation within the framework of international regulations and safeguards by the body's chief. He expressed hope the case would be closed at the agency in the near future.

Asked on the possibility of Tehran's referral to the Security Council after the November 24 meeting of the IAEA Board of Governors where the report will be discussed, the spokesman said, "No legal reason can be found in the report for the referral.

"If certain measures with political motives would be taken to this end within the remaining few days, that would be a different matter," Asefi stressed.

Replying to a question on ElBaradei's call for inspection of new sites in `Lavizan' and `Shian' (north of Tehran), Asefi said Iran will continue its cooperation with the IAEA.

"If their demands comply with the international regulations and safeguards, we will cooperate."
Touching on a recent statement by the European Union (EU) in support of the Zionist regime of Israel, the spokesman said such statements should not be taken seriously.

"It seems that the EU has issued the pro-Israeli statement just as a supererogatory service to pay its owes to the Zionist regime," Asefi said.

He regretted that the European Parliament has turned a blind eye on the crimes committed by the Zionist regime and supported the illegitimate regime.

Asked about the recent talks between the US President George W.

Bush and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on continuation of enrichment of Iran's uranium in Russia, Asefi said Tehran has not received any codified proposal to this end.

1394/1414