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Mottaki: Iran seeks US explanation on nuclear espionage

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, Dec 8, IRNA
Iran-US-Mottaki
Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said re Saturday that Iran has sought the US explanation on espionage on Iran's nuclear issue.

"The (Foreign) Ministry (of Iran) has sent a letter to the Swiss Embassy in Tehran, as caretaker of the US interests, calling for explanations on the US espionage on Iran's nuclear issue," said Mottaki in a meeting on Iran's nuclear issue here on Saturday.

Mottaki said, "In that report it has been said that they (the Americans) have obtained the information through espionage satellite and espionage activities."

He said the day when the report was published, Foreign Ministry voiced its protest in a note to the Swiss Embassy, asking it to provide Iran with explanations about the espionage. "There are both facts and lies in the report of the Americans."

He cited the US intelligence organs' claim that nuclear activities in Iran dated as back as to 2003, saying, "Americans have raised the claim just to save face and we hope they would come to the point not to tell anything without any proof and justification."

Emphasizing that Iran follows up the issue of espionage, Mottaki said, "Espionage is a means for obtaining information with a hegemonic objective as pursued by the big powers against the developing states."

He said the hegemonic powers try to establish links with different sectors through those who are somehow involved technically in the nuclear issue.

Asked on the impact of former top nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani's resignation on Iran's nuclear issue, Mottaki said, "In the Islamic Republic, affairs are not dependent on a single individual. What's of importance is that affairs are handled through a right approach and based on a right strategy."

He emphasized that all parties involved in Iran's nuclear issue have come to the conclusion that military option against Iran is no longer valid.

He said strategies of the former and present governments of Iran on the country's nuclear program are similar and "they have been insisting on restoration of Iran's rights."
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