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Iran nuclear case complicated but negotiable: official

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, April 25, IRNA
Iran-Moussavian-Nuclear
An Iranian official said here Tuesday that although the situation of Iran nuclear case has become even more complicated during the past few months and given that the case has been reported to the UN Security Council, a negotiated solution is still possible.

Deputy head of the Strategic Research Center affiliated to the Expediency Council (EC), Hossein Moussavian made the remark while addressing an international conference dubbed `Iran's Nuclear Energy Program: Policies and Prospects'.

Moussavian, who was a member of Iran's former negotiating team, presented his proposal consisting of ten key factors and said, "In light of the existing experience in this issue, I believe that if a fair, rational, legal and peaceful solution is to be found, these factors should be taken into account.

"The nuclear issue has turned into a national issue and all political factions, groups, parties and individual figures with entirely different political views are unanimous in asserting the Iran's right to fuel cycle.

"The nuclear issue has become a matter of national pride in Iran. Therefore, no solution can ignore this fact and disregard the right to indigenous peaceful nuclear technology."
He added, "The West's handling of Iran's nuclear issue should not leave the Iranian people with an overwhelming feeling of being discriminated against and a feeling that the West seeks to deprive Iran of its inalienable right to development and advanced
technology.

"Lack of confidence between Iran and the West is not limited to the nuclear issue. Resolving this issue is also not tantamount to resolving all differences between Iran and the West.

"However, reaching a negotiated solution on the nuclear issue is bound to facilitate and expedite efforts to find solutions to other disagreements between Iran and the West."
Moussavian added, "Iran's nuclear issue has been blown out of proportion and politicized internationally, making it all the more complicated and difficult to find a negotiated solution.

"It is necessary to reconsider this over-exaggeration to facilitate finding a solution to the issue."
He said that Iran's right under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) should not be denied, adding, "Iran should be assured of the non-discriminatory exercise of its legal and inalienable right to the fuel cycle under the NPT. Nothing beyond the NPT should be imposed on Iran.

He said the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) can help resolve Iran's issue by developing an Iran-specific formula to provide assurance to others concerned about non-diversion of Iranian nuclear program.

The official stressed the importance of other countries participating in the enrichment activities in Iran in order to promote regional confidence in all spheres.

Based on an agreement reached between former secretary of Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), Hassan Rowhani, and South African President Thabo Mbeki in August 2005, it was agreed that Iran would export its products at Isfahan's Uranium Conversion Facility to and import yellowcake from South Africa, he noted.

"In this context, the UCF project could be part of Iran's proposal concerning international consortium for enrichment and fuel production," he said.

Moussavian added, "Measures such as the IAEA's provision of assurance about Iran's compliance with the NPT, and full and transparent cooperation of Iran with the agency are the real and objective measures to promote international confidence in Iran's nuclear program."
He pointed to future talks between Iran and the United States on Iraq, saying, "This opportunity should be utilized in good faith and a timely manner in order to de-escalate tension in Tehran-Washington relations and thereby allow for a calmer atmosphere in which a politically negotiated solution to Iran's nuclear issue would become accessible."
The official further stated, "Given these key factors, the three working groups of political-security, technological, and nuclear cooperation, envisioned in Paris Agreement, could resume their work and improve upon and finalize all areas of cooperation previously discussed within a three-month period at most."
He expressed hope under such circumstances, the November 2004 resolution of the IAEA Board of Governors should stand again and Iran's nuclear file be removed from the agenda of the Security Council.

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