IRAN EXPRESSES ITS FEAR OF POSSIBLE SANCTIONS BY THE UNITED NATIONS
TEHRAN, First of October (IPS) With senior Iranian clerical leaders still undecided over the crucial issue of bowing to demands by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the Islamic Republic expressed Wednesday for the first time its fear of seeing its raw with the Vienna-based Organisation to be sent to the United Nations’ Security Council for final decision.
"This question must not be sent to the Security Council. This must be prevented" Iran’s Foreign Affairs Minister Kamal Kharazi told reporters in Tehran upon his return from New York, where he took part at the UN’s general assembly.
He was joined by Mr. Abdollah Ramazanzadeh, the Government’s official spokesman, who told journalists that Iran does not want this question to go to the Security Council and would "take all measures to reach an accord with the United Nations nuclear watchdog.
Iran fears that if the issue is passed on to the UN, it could face harsh sanctions, considering that the European Union’s instance on Iran’s atomic intentions have considerably been going close to that of the United States.
Washington alleges that Iran’s ongoing atomic projects, including the electricity plant that is under construction in the Persian Gulf port of Booshehr with the help of Russia are a "cover" for producing atomic bomb.
Last week, French President Jacques Chirac, speaking on behalf of the 15-25 members EU, also urged Tehran to fully comply with demands by the IAEA.
Both Kharrazi and Ramezanzadeh, as well as the Vice-president for Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Hojjatoleslam Mohammad Ali Abtahi stressed on Iran’s readiness for "full cooperation" with IAEA and repeated that all Iran’s nuclear programs were for peaceful purposes, but were not able to say whether Tehran would sign the Additional Protocols to the Non Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
The Protocols would enable IAEA’s inspectors full and unrestricted access to all Iranian nuclear and nuclear-related sites, including enriching uranium plants, but Iran says some of the sites would be off-limit to international experts.
According to Mr. Kharrazi, signing the protocol is not against the Constitution. "The issue would undoubtedly be discussed in Majles and the Expediency Council", he said, adding that the government will sign the protocol after reviewing all its aspects "if it becomes sure that this would help the country’s progress".
Iranian political analysts noted that while the Parliament is controlled by reformers who in general supports signing the Protocols, but the final decision falls with the Expediency Council, a powerful organ that is chaired by former president ayatollah Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, the regime’s number two man and controlled by the conservatives who are strongly against signing the Protocols.
Abtahi told reporters that decision on Iran`s accession to additional protocol of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) is too difficult and one of the important challenges facing the country in the post-Islamic Revolution era.
He said all strata should have a share in the decision making process.
He added that Majlis and government had in separate sessions discussed Iran’s accession to the additional protocol.
But on Monday, IAEA’s Egyptian Chief Mohammad El-Bradeh’i said signing the Protocols is no more his top priority. "What we want now from Iran is to convince that its nuclear programs and projects are not for military use.
The change in the IAEA’s first priority took place after Iranian leaders, including President Mohammad Khatami as well as senior conservative personalities and spokesmen close to the regime’s orthodox leader Ayatollah Ali Khameneh'i made contradictory statements, confirming indirectly that Iran wanted the nuclear technology for defence purposes.
Kharrazi stressed Iran has no hidden program to produce nuclear weapons and said all doubts should be cleared up and that Iran would be able to use its legitimate right for peaceful nuclear activities.
Iran’s ambassador to IAEA, Ali Akbar Salehi said on Wednesday that he has submitted a report to President Khatami on the outcome of what has so far been discussed on the Additional Protocol by the IAEA Board of Governors.
The 35-members Board on 12 September urged the Islamic Republic to sign "immediately and unconditionally" the Protocols and also stop "at once" all its controversial enriching uranium programs.
"Our collaboration with IAEA is based on understanding and joint cooperation", Mr. Salehi told reporters after meeting with Mr. Khatami.
Asked whether Iran will stop enriching uranium, Salehi pointed out that no decision has yet been taken to the effect and that the process is still underway.
Turning to the IAEA delegation’s visit to Tehran on Thursday, he said their mission is to hold talks and not to inspect Iran’s nuclear facilities, adding that the agency’s inspectors are likely to arrive two days later.
"The two officials, namely Mr. Pierre Goldschmidt, the Belgian Deputy to Mr. El-Bradeh’i and an IAEA director are commissioned to negotiate on nuclear safeguard regulations and executive issues with Iranian authorities respectively", he added.
In reply to a question about El Baradei`s rejection of the priority of signing the additional protocol by Iran and the importance of accepting the IAEA-resolution, he said that exerting pressure on any country into signing a treaty is against international laws.
The official hoped that the visit by IAEA’s officials to Iran is another proof to Iran’s peaceful nuclear activities’ being transparent, according to IRNA.
He stressed that naturally, the Agency`s inspectors should respect national dignity and individuality of countries.
"We're going to start very important discussions with the top officials from Iran...We do expect that we will make a lot of progress", Mr. Goldschmidt told reporters before leaving for Tehran.
http://www.iran-press-service.com/articles_2003/Oct-2003/iran_iaea_10103.htmMaybe fear will bring them to their senses.