August 4, 2004
Weapon Program:
- Nuclear
Tehran, August 4, IRNA -- Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi said on Wednesday that uranium enrichment is the Iranian nation`s legitimate right in the context of Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a ceremony to commemorate eight Iranian diplomats and IRNA reporter assassinated by US-backed Taleban at Iranian consulate in Mazar-i-Sharif on August 8, 1998 when they overpowered the government of ex-president Burhanuddin Rabbani, Kharrazi said that the Iranian nation should rest assured that their representatives will never compromise on their legitimate right to gain access to nuclear technology in line with the international convention and that they insisted on those rights in their last round of talks with the three European partners in Paris last week.
"We will continue negotiations with the European countries, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and members of Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) to clarify our programs to them and make it clear that Iran needs nuclear energy to go ahead with its economic development plan," Kharrazi said.
"We will lobby for our rights in the international community to deal with the negative atmosphere our enemies have created against Iran," Kharrazi said.
"We will never allow the enemy to trample upon our legitimate rights enshrined in the international conventions." Asked about the upcoming meeting of IAEA Board of Governors in Vienna in September and whether they will refer Iranian file to the United Nations Security Council, he said, "We should wait and see. We will not allow Iranian file to be referred to the Security Council."
"We will enlighten the world community about Iran`s nuclear program and I hope that we will defuse the propaganda campaign against Iran," he said.
He said that the United States supported Taleban to take over Afghanistan. The US support for Taleban escalated extremism and terrorism in the region.
Iran had been opposed to Taleban and they assassinated Iranian diplomats as soon as they seized control of Mazar-i-Sharif, he said. Iran has always been against extremism and favored moderation, believing that through diplomatic means and dialogue crises would be resolved and at the same time the Islamic values will be respected, Kharrazi said.