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Iran not pursuing acquisition of nuclear weapons: Iran envoy to Ankara

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Ankara, Feb 14, IRNA
Iran-Turkey-Nuclear
Iran's ambassador to Turkey Firouz Dowlatabadi dismissed here Monday assertion that Iran is trying to acquire nuclear weapons.

"Iran has not been and will not pursue production of nuclear arsenal," the Iranian envoy told Turkish Television network - NTV.

He also said Iran has conducted its nuclear activities under the monitoring of the International Atomic Energy Organization (IAEA).

For more than a decade after installment of IAEA's monitoring equipment and three years after carrying out close inspections, it was revealed that Iran has been cooperating with nuclear watchdog agency beyond its commitments.

On a question as to the reasons for the current situation with the IAEA despite Iran's cooperation with the agency, he added it is only natural that those who want us to forgo access to peaceful nuclear technology and maintain that they will give us the fuel cycle and in turn bar us from having any role in running and supplying the operations are only playing politics with the issue.

"Such assertions are devoid of any security and military applications."
On a question whether Iran will ban oil flow from the Persian Gulf if confronted with sanctions, he said "Tehran has no such plans." "During the imposed war with Iraq when the West supported Baghdad we did not close the 'Hormuz' straits and see no reason for such measure now."
Asked about his assessment of Israel's nuclear arsenal's threat to Iran, he said Israel with or without nuclear weapons, for about 80 years, has posed a threat to the region as well as world peace.

Both Israel's officials and international sources have confirmed the Zionist regime's nuclear arsenal, he added.

Asked about Iran's aims over the production of long-range missiles and their declared use in removing threats to the country, the Iranian envoy said that these missiles have preventive and defensive use and reflect a situation which Iran has faced US and Israel threats for over 27 years.

These countries also supported Iraq in imposed war and this is the reason why these missiles have defensive aims and are regarded as preventive weapons, Dowlatabadi added.

Government spokesman Gholam-Hossein Elham said here Monday that Iran will not wait for the next session of the International Atomic Energy Agency's Board of Governors before proceeding in its nuclear program.

Elham made the disclosure while addressing domestic and foreign reporters during his weekly press conference in response to a question as to what measures Iran would take by the time the IAEA Board of Governors holds its next session.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran is determined to use nuclear technology for peaceful purposes. The Iranian Atomic Energy Organization is following and implementing a decree issued by President (Mahmoud Ahmadinejad) in this regard," he said.

"The government's decision is irreversible," he added.

Asked about the US' calculated pressures on Iran, he said that the United States was moving toward a dead-end. "Pressures on Iran are not new."
"The US has used all illegal and illegitimate ways over the past 27 years to achieve its objectives. The tested are being re-tested which shows the US' lack of wisdom," he said.

"If the Islamic Republic of Iran were to yield to those pressures, there would be nothing left of the Islamic Revolution by now," he added.

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