Asefi: IAEA expected to defend members rights
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
Tehran, Feb 5, IRNA
Iran-Asefi-Nuclear
Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid-Reza Asefi here Sunday said that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) was expected to defend members rights at the Board of Governors extraordinary meeting, but it did not do so.
Speaking to the media in his weekly briefing, he added that according to the evidences, the session was political.
He noted that no attention was paid to the proposal of IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei to submit a report in March and under the pressure of several Western countries the session was held in haste.
Turning to the fact that the agency's report contains nothing as the definite proof of Iran's deviation, he said that this is while the IAEA has declared that it is not in a position to announce that Iran has deviated from peaceful nuclear path.
Turning to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's proposal on participation of other countries in Iran's nuclear program, IAEA's repeated inspection of various centers and sites as well as installation of their cameras at these sites, the spokesman said, How does the IAEA say that it is not in a position to announce that Iran has not deviated from peaceful nuclear path?"
Asefi noted that if the provocation of the US and European administrators are taken into view, it will be realized that the Board of Governors meeting was political.
Concerning the votes given by China and Russia at the Board of Governors session, he expressed regret over both.
"Iran did not count on the votes of any country, rather it relied upon its own domestic potentials," he added.
He stressed that such moves do not influence the determination of the Iranian people and government to develop and access peaceful nuclear technology.
Asefi declared that the Foreign Ministry is to conduct opinion poll on Iran's nuclear status and ask people to record their relevant views on the Foreign Ministry's Website.
He noted that the important issue is the rights and interests of the Iranian nation.
The spokesman said that the recent developments proved that Europe cannot manage to take a great diplomatic move.
In response to a question about the reason Iran chooses it allies from Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) member states, he said, "Every group has its own weight. As it was observed, three NAM member countries voted against the resolution and several others gave votes of abstention.
"Iran counts upon every country, group and block in accordance with their weight."
About Iran's possible move with respect to India's approach at the Board of Governors, he noted that Iran will continue its diplomatic relations with this and other countries, but that it will express its dissatisfaction and call for their explanation.
Asefi said that Iran's diplomatic apparatus will continue its attempts up to March and will not even waste a minute or second to restore the Iranians nuclear right.
Replying to another question about the possibility of the US or Israel's attack on Iran or economic sanction against it, he said, "You are going too fast. The question is not military attack, but economic sanction. Such options are not yet on the agenda and hypothetical speculations should be avoided.
"I believe that the Zionist regime will not dare to take such a stupid measure. Iran considers such a discussion as psychological warfare and does not care about it.
Turning to the recent remarks of the German Chancellor Angela Merkel, he said that her comments reflect to some extent her moral is characterized by self-fascination and self-importance, which is not in line with the atmosphere currently dominating the world and that it may be rooted in the past record of German administrators.
"A politician should be cautious in choosing his/her words. It is quite inconvenient for a person of politics to speak in such a tone," he added.
In reply to a question whether Iran has made a mistake in making distinction between its allies and foes, the spokesman dismissed it and said, "Given the specific potentials of countries, we have tried to make full use of them.
"The current situation was predictable and we already said that if the meeting was not politicized, the outcome would have been different."
About the impact of the Islamic Revolution in Iran upon the victory of Hamas, he said that there is no doubt that the victory of Islamic Revolution led to the vigilance of the world nations as well as freedom-seeking and Islamic movements.
"Not only in Palestine, but in other points of the world, it is witnessed that the late Imam Khomeini's message of freedom and Islam's lofty principles have deeply influenced such victories." He referred to the performance of Hamas and said that it is associated with Hamas itself, adding that what concerns Iran is that the Zionist regime is not officially recognized by Iranians.
Asefi pointed to developments following Hamas victory and the West's opposition and said that they proved that they approve of a type of democracy that will constantly obey them.
He called upon the Western states to respect people's votes.
During the press conference, Asefi said that following the sacrilege of a Danish daily on the prophet of Islam Danish reporters have been banned from visiting Iran.
The spokesman referred to the repetition of such a vicious measure in the media of some European countries and said that the move has been organized.
"The Europeans who published the cartoon, proved that they are irresponsible and do not accept freedom along with human respect and responsibility.
"Blasphemy against any prophet is repulsive and marks the barbarian moral," concluded Asefi.
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