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Iran's future performance depends on nuclear talks: Asefi

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, Dec 18, IRNA
Iran-Asefi
Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hamid-Reza Asefi here Sunday said what Iran is going to do in the future depends on its upcoming nuclear talks with Europe.

Asefi made the remark is his weekly press briefing for domestic and foreign reporters while commenting on President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's remark on conditional suspension of the Additional Protocol.

"We should wait to see results of talks which are very important and to some degree difficult. We should wait for future talks which are on the agenda," Asefi said.

Asked about news on the US-Zionist regime cooperation for launching a military attack on Iran, he said, "It is just a news fabrication."
He pointed to results of an opinion poll conducted by an Israeli newspaper, saying, "Over 80 percent of Israelis expressed opposition to such an attack on Iran. This stems from the Islamic Republic's power and strength."
He rejected a news report on two regional states' readiness to allow the United States and Israel to use their soil for a military ttack on Iran, saying, "Such reports are spread in line with a psychological warfare launched by certain circles against Iran." Asefi refuted Iran's purchase of 18 missiles from North Korea and added, "Our missiles are indigenous. We have capabilities to produce missile inside our territory."
In response to a question on Iran's security cooperation with the Persian Gulf littoral states, the spokesman said, "Iran has signed joint cooperation pacts with most regional countries. We have previously expressed our readiness to these countries to sign joint defense treaty.

"Concerning conclusion of an agreement to make the region free from weapons of mass destruction, we have not received any call to this effect yet. We have no objection to such an agreement and are ready to cooperate in this regard."
The spokesman stressed, "Iran has no nuclear weapons and does not intend to use such weapons. The Zionist regime, which has hundreds of nuclear warheads, is the main danger in the region."
Asked about remarks by the US and Israeli officials on Hamas presence in the ruling system (in Palestine), he said, "These states should decide whether they advocate democracy or not.

"If they believe in democracy, they should respect the results of a possible election in Gaza Strip. The US will accept election results, if they serve its own interests.

"The US President's (George Bush) confession about eavesdropping and monitoring of e-mails proves contradiction between human rights and democracy."
In response to a question on a US court verdict calling on Iran to pay compensations to victims of an attack on the US Embassy in Beirut in 1983, he said, "Such rulings by a local court are useless and have no legal base.

"Iranian courts have so far issued verdicts valued at over three billion dollars against the US."
On measures adopted by Iran's Foreign Ministry following killing of a second Iranian national in Canada last week, he said, "We have taken up the issue with Canadian officials. We will fulfill our duties.

"I believe Canada is turning into an insecure country for refugees. Murder of two persons in a country claiming to be secure is not good at all."
Asked about `Yadavaran' oil deal between Iran and China, Asefi said, "There are technical cases on such deals. Different issues including price and the amount of demand should be determined in talks."
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