Posted on 01/28/2005 2:36:21 AM PST by DoctorZIn
Top News Story
Iran Will Never Dismantle Nuke Program
PUTRAJAYA, Malaysia (Reuters) - Iran has vowed never to dismantle its uranium enrichment programme, a day
after a confidential EU document showed that France, Britain and Germany had told Tehran they would not settle for
anything less.
Iran has temporarily frozen its enrichment programme, [DZ note: not really] a process of purifying uranium for use as fuel in nuclear
power plants or weapons, but insists that atomic fuel production is a sovereign right it will never abandon.
Asked whether Iran would dismantle the programme, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Gholamali Khoshroo, who is
visiting Malaysia for a meeting of the 57-nation Organisation of the Islamic Conference, replied:
"Never. For what reason? We are not terrified by the U.S. We have had this kind of relations with the U.S. for 25
years. We don't want to upgrade tension with U.S. but we want to live as a sovereign country and nobody has the
right to threaten others."
Iran says its atomic ambitions are strictly peaceful, but Washington believes it has a covert atomic weapons
programme, and warned last week that military force was an option it would not rule out to stop Tehran from getting
the bomb.
Khoshroo accused the United States of attempting to disrupt his country's talks with the EU.
"We are not living in the jungle, we are living in accordance with international law," he said.
"In accordance with international law, those who have force should not use it unless legitimacy by the international
community is given to them. America wanted to put pressure on the EU not to continue negotiations (with Iran)."
NO CLEAR EVIDENCE
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the U.N. nuclear watchdog, has been investigating Tehran's
nuclear programme for more than two years. IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei says he has found no clear evidence of
a nuclear weapons programme in Iran.
An EU document seen by Reuters in Vienna on Wednesday summarised this month's talks between the European
Union's "big three" -- the EU3 -- and Iran.
It said there was no economic justification for the enrichment programme, especially since Russia agreed to
provide Tehran with fuel for the Russian-built Bushehr power plant.
"Iran recognises explicitly that its fuel cycle programme cannot be justified on economic grounds," the document
said.
In Vienna, diplomats said the lack of economic justification was a key reason why EU3 officials generally agree
with the U.S. view that Iran's nuclear ambitions are not entirely peaceful.
In Malaysia, the Iranian minister said there were no legal grounds for the demand that his country halt its nuclear
activities.
"What is the legal basis for any request to relinquish all our activities?" Khoshroo said.
"The U.S. is upset Iran is cooperating with the IAEA and Iran's activities have been peaceful," he added. "The U.S.
is not happy Iran's relationships with Asia and Islamic countries are developing. We are playing a peaceful role.
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BTTT
Bump!
Nor, despite use of floodlights, bloodhounds and maps, has ElBaradei found his ass.
He lives on the planet ElBaradei where the regime is viewed as charitable, trustworthy and kind and sincere.
LOL!
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