June 2, 2004
Weapon Program:
- Nuclear
Tehran, June 2, IRNA -- Iran does not intend to give up its membership of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), said Secretary of Supreme National Security Council Hassan Rowhani here on Wednesday. Addressing a press conference, Rowhani said Iran has announced to continue cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and it does not think about stopping it. Rowhani said Iran has had no problem with its cooperation with the IAEA within framework of additional protocol to NPT and the Agency experts have been able to inspect Iranian nuclear sites and facilities whenever they intended. He said Iran`s accession to the additional protocol should follow its due ratification procedure, starting from related commissions in the cabinet to Majlis. Iran has not at all put its confidential military information at the IAEA disposal and it would not allow access to its special military and non-military sites, he said. Rowhani said Iran is going to issue a statement on recent report of the IAEA Chief Mohamed ElBaradei, pointing to special problems of the report. He refuted US baseless allegations about nuclear program of Iran asked for any information the US alleges it has on Iran`s nuclear activities to be delivered to the IAEA.
As for inauguration of Bushehr nuclear power plant in cooperation with Russia in 2005, Rowhani said Russian officials, notably President Vladimir Putin, have announced they would abide by their promises concerning the project. He said talks on the project was going on well and Tehran has no difference with Moscow regarding the project. He added that Russia wants to set up a second power plant in Bushehr. Rowhani also dismissed Israel`s claim of raiding Iran`s nuclear facilities, saying he did not suppose it would take such a "foolish" move. He said Israelis are fully aware of Iran`s response to their wrong moves. " They know how painful and destructive our response to their attack on Iran would be; these words are still a kind of publicity, aiming to raise hue and cry," said Rowhani.
Elsewhere in the interview, Rowhani said Iran is highly concerned about desecration of holy sites in Iraq. He hoped for non-repetition of such sacrilegious moves in Iraq. On Iraq`s interim government, Rowhani said the government might not be welcomed and pleased by all, but can be a step forward. He hoped the interim government would prepare the ground for free elections and formation of a national government and guarantee the country`s full sovereignty. He said the government is not democratic and has mainly been formed by the occupiers. He added that the interim government`s power would depend on the UN Security Council`s resolution and the type of authority the occupiers would give to the interim government. He said Iran welcomes any move being made in Iraqis` favor and avoidance of direct intervention of the occupiers in Iraq`s affairs. He ruled out the claims that Iraqi governing council member Ahmed Chalabi had links with Iran, saying he had been an Iraqi dissident who used to attend different meetings abroad during reign of Saddam. He said Chalabi used to be mainly in close contact with Americans. " Iran has had no contact of special link in terms of information exchange with Chalabi," said Rowhani.