[Mb-civic] FW: Iran will resume enrichment under IAEA supervision soon: Rowhani

[Golsorkhi]

We'll live to regret this new development.
------ Forwarded Message
From: Samii Shahla <shahla at thesamiis.com>
Date: Wed, 12 Jan 2005 16:01:18 -0500
Subject: Iran will resume enrichment under IAEA supervision soon: Rowhani


Tehran Times
01/12/05

Iran will resume enrichment under IAEA supervision soon: Rowhani

Tehran Times Political Desk

TEHRAN (MNA) -­ Secretary of Iran¹s Supreme National Security Council
(SNSC) Hassan Rowhani said Wednesday that Iran would not allow any
country to halt its uranium enrichment activities, stating the country
will resume enrichment under the supervision of the International
Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in the near future.

  Rowhani, in a meeting with Japan¹s deputy foreign minister, stressed
that Iran approves of any confidence-building measure in order to prove
its enrichment activities are not designed to produce nuclear weapons.

  At present, if world powers will try to deprive Iran of enrichment, in
the future they will do so to other countries, including Japan, in an
effort to deny them their right to sovereignty and self-sufficiency, he
said.

  Rowhani referred to the development of ties between Iran and Japan
over the recent years, calling Tehran-Tokyo ties in the field of energy
as an indication of strategic economic relations.

  He said that stability in the oil market is one of Tehran¹s goals,
adding Iran is a suitable place where Japan can invest in western Asia.

  The SNSC secretary stated that Iran and Japan benefit from various
political, cultural, economic, touristic, and security ties in
accordance with their common concerns.

  He referred to weapons of mass destruction as a threat to the security
of the international community, saying Iran and Japan, as victims of
WMD, both have a legitimate right to fight against the use of such
weapons.

  And it is not acceptable for countries that have committed huge crimes
against humanity with the usage of WMD to comment on the issue, Rowhani
noted.

  He stressed that an over-all campaign against the production, storage,
and usage of WMD as well as a wide-ranging cooperation in regard to
peaceful nuclear technology within the framework of international
treaties is the main approach that should be undertaken for global
disarmament.

  The official noted that enriching uranium for fuel production, a basic
requirement for nuclear power plants, is an inalienable right for all
member countries to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

  ³Iran is one of the first countries that signed the NPT and the
safeguard agreement and more than 800 IAEA inspectors have visited the
country¹s nuclear sites over the past year. ³Our cooperation with the
agency in this regard indicates the country¹s good-will and peaceful
nuclear activities.² ³Iran will continue its cooperation with the IAEA.
The extensive cooperation between Iran and the IAEA and the country¹s
measure in signing the additional protocol to the NPT are enough to win
over international confidence.² ³The temporary suspension of enrichment
activities was only a confidence-building measure to reach an agreement
with Europe on comprehensive cooperation in all political, economic,
security and nuclear fields.²

  Elsewhere in his remarks, Rowhani stressed that holding a free and
fair election in Iraq, establishing a national government, and
restoring ample security in the war-torn country are some of the most
important aspects to be considered in Iraq¹s current state of affairs.

  He also expressed Iran¹s readiness to cooperate with Japan as well as
the international community in this matter.

  The Japanese official, on his part, called for more development of
Iran-Japan ties in order to aid the restoration of regional and
international peace and security.

  Referring to Iran as Japan¹s main source of energy, he stressed that
Japan is determined to complete the Azadegan Oil Field Project in Iran.

  Welcoming Iran¹s nuclear negotiations with the EU, the Japanese deputy
foreign minister said that Iran can win more international confidence
regarding the peaceful nature of its nuclear activities by implementing
the demands of the IAEA Board of Governors.

  He also called for the expansion of Tehran-Tokyo ties in relation to
issues pertaining to Iraq and Afghanistan.
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http://www.tehrantimes.com/Description.asp?Da=1/13/2005&Cat=2&Num=005

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