Posted on 02/16/2006 1:24:53 PM PST by najida
French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy on Thursday called Iran's nuclear program a “clandestine, military” project, and that "no civilian nuclear program can explain Iran's nuclear program."
Douste-Blazy, according to the AFP, made the comments to France's channel 2 television station, to which Iran quickly responded.
“Diplomats should refrain from making such strong announcements”, said Ali Larijani, the secretary general of the Islamic Republic’s Supreme National Security Council and Iran’s senior nuclear negotiator.
Larijani added, “We must not hear statements similar to what is said by the United States from European countries."
He rejected the claim that Tehran was pursuing a nuclear weapons program, saying that if Iran had wanted to pursue the production of nuclear weapons, it would not have signed the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.
"We're not interested in acquiring a bomb, and that's why we accepted the nuclear non-proliferation treaty," he told French reporters.
Larijani hinted that the current criticism against it could result in the suspension of oil sales to the west.
“We will not take the first step. But, if they act in a way that changes the situation in the region, this might be effective,” he warned.
Earlier this month, Iran was reported to the United Nations Security Council for failing to abide by international regulations regarding its nuclear program.
On Tuesday Iran announced that it had resumed sensitive uranium enrichment work.
© 2006 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
bttt
Now that is a tough choice, believe cheese-eating surrender monkeys, or believe the uranium-frenzied, mahdi(demon)worshipping Islamofascists in Tehran.
I have to admit I'm terribly worried about that Cowboy Chirac, sitting in Paris, lobbing threats about nuking this and nuking that, why isn't Chirac at the U.N. making the case for sanctions or military intervention?
I tell you, if France acts unilaterally, it loses the entire respect of the civilized world, for it will be waging and illegal and immoral war on a country which poses no direct threat to France!!!
Oh, sorry - I had a lunch of caviar with a dipping sauce of Heinz ketchup and started channeling John F'in Kerry. Oops.
"Iran just needs to sweeten the deal for France like Saddam did. Then they'll buy it."
France would have supported the American invasion of Iraq, and sent a division of troops and a hundred aircraft to boot, had the US been willing to vouchsafe the then-existing French oil concessions in Iraq. Had the US been willing to agree that France got to keep her oil contracts after the liberation, the French would have been on board. When the US wasn't willing, the French went out and put together an alliance of Russia, Germany, Belgium, Spain, etc., against the war and made everything hell for everybody.
This time around, the Americans seem to get it, and since Lebanon the French are back in the game. France can be very helpful, so long as you give the French what they want. The more France lines up with the US for action, the more that it is clear that the US has vouchsafed the French oil concessions in Iran, this time, such that if the Iranian regime is toppled, France still keeps its oil contracts.
It's more useful to have France as an ally than as a pissed off and active diplomatic enemy. The damage to the US war effort in Iraq inflicted by the French was substantial.
Ewwww....
Caviar doesn't go with Ketchup silly ;)
You know what, its pretty bad when France finally gets a clue!!!!
What? Iran doesn't want European nations making statements similar to what is said by the United States?
It's about time that Europe is awakening to the danger of Islamofacism.
"rather disturbing that the French feel threatened enough to step over the line."
No, it's not that France feels threatened.
It is, rather, that France feels quite secure this time.
Which means that France can mend fences with the US without damaging French interests.
Maybe they were buying Russian technology and not French. So the French are in a tizzy.
Iran's intentions must be totally obvious for France to finally catch on!!
I see your point.
They were very embarrassed by our discovery of their involvement with Iraq and some very lucrative oil contracts.
I disagree. They have been obvious the whole time to Chirac, he just couldn't get them to buy French. ;o)
BTW, a belated Happy Valentines day.
Maybe someone can explain to me why an oil rich nation would pursue nuclear fuel for energy purposes.
I have never seen this question addressed in any media.
It seems to me that addressing this question may enlightened other skeptical nations to Iran's true intentions.
We are oil addicts and we are just now looking at creating more nuclear energy again. If we had as much oil as Iran we would not even consider it.
Is it possible that the French have grown a spine? If not, they've been doing an awfully good imitation lately.
Agreed.
50%?
40%
80%
It's nice they export tomatoes but can their economy survive on that alone?
France must have some reason to believe it is at the top of Iran's target list.
I'm getting some vibes (yeah, that sounds real deep) on the various sites that things are changing, in odd ways.
Hamas is like the drunk neighbor who kicks his dog. Iran just makes folks nervous. Strange strange strange.
I've only seen one "Boycott Denmark" post so far. Something is tipping, but I"m not sure what.
Well,
Please don't hate me,
but I'm having cheese grits and fish for lunch tomorrow :)
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