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Pakistan denies aiding Iran nuclear weapons drive

World News
Aug 5, 2003

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan on Tuesday denied a U.S. newspaper report this week which said it shared expertise with Iran that could help Tehran develop nuclear weapons.

A statement from the Foreign Ministry did not name the report, but the Los Angeles Times said on Monday Iran appeared to be in the late stages of building a nuclear bomb and had sought help from scientists from countries including Pakistan.

The story cited a confidential report by the French government in May it said concluded Iran was "surprisingly close" to having enriched uranium or plutonium for a bomb.

Iran has consistently denied it has plans to build nuclear weapons and has said its program is for peaceful civilian use.

The story also quoted a Middle Eastern intelligence official as saying Pakistan's role in helping Iran develop a nuclear programme was "bigger from the beginning than we thought."

"The spokesman termed it (the report) as completely false, irresponsible and obviously motivated," the ministry statement said.

"Pakistan's commitments, affirmed at the highest level, that it would not export any sensitive technologies to third countries remains unquestionable.

"Pakistan has a strong export control regime in place. Pakistan's record in this regard is impeccable," it added.

Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf is a key ally in the U.S.-led war on terror, but the country is under pressure from Washington amid allegations it helped North Korea make materials needed for a nuclear arms project in return for missile parts.

In March, the United States imposed commercial sanctions on Khan Research Laboratories, once headed by revered Pakistani nuclear scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan, because it arranged a transfer of North Korean missiles to Pakistan.

Pakistan has also strongly denied reports it helped Pyongyang develop a nuclear arms programme.

Tuesday's statement said Khan, dubbed the father of Pakistan's nuclear bomb, had "never set foot in Iran or ever met with any Iranian nuclear experts".

The L.A. Times had said Khan travelled "frequently" to Iran to share his nuclear expertise.

"Such reports appear part of a malicious campaign against Pakistan's consistent and established record of safeguarding its sensitive nuclear technology and ensuring that this technology was not transferred by any organisation or individual to any other country," the Pakistan foreign ministry said.

http://www.daneshjoo.org/generalnews/article/publish/article_1589.shtml

Safavi: IRGC, Basij providing strong defense and security for nation .

Orumiyeh, West Azarbaijan Prov, Aug 5, IRNA -- Commander of the
Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IGRC) Major-General Rahim Safavi
in this northwestern city Tuesday said that the IGRC and Basij
were bulwarks of defense and security for the country and its people.
He made the remark at a gathering of IGRC forces and Basijis
(volunteer forces) during which he described the attack and occupation
of Iraq by American forces as a move already doomed to failure.
Refuting the US Administration's claim that it went to war with
Iraq to overthrow an "evil regime" and establish a government which
could serve as an example to regional countries, he said that the
invasion was in fact another consummated attempt to intervene in the
internal affairs of regional states.
However, he said US officials are now facing serious and mounting
problems in Iraq while Britain, the US' most loyal ally in the war, is
now beginning to remove its forces from the country after realizing
it has failed in its goals.
The commander further remarked that America will never be able to
tolerate countries which maintain free and independent stances, and
confidently said that the vigilant Iranian nation and its officials
will face and defuse any kind of plot.
He also stressed the need to increase Basij participation in the
nation's cultural affairs as well as in national reconstruction
projects.

http://www.irna.ir/en/tnews/030806142735.etn02.shtml