Khatami Says Nuclear Technology is a Right of All Nations

March 31, 2005

Weapon Program: 

  • Nuclear

President Mohammad Khatami continuing with his press conference attended by domestic and foreign reporters said here Wednesday that Iran is ready to discuss its nuclear activities with world.

"We are ready to continue talking to the Europeans and they should recognize our right to have access to peaceful nuclear technology." He expressed hope that the discussions will proceed with logic and without pressures from some powers.

It is unacceptable for our nations to cut the numerous young Iranian scientist who have made great sacrifices under sever international sanctions, of their livelihood.

"In not too distant future and with concord from the international community we will show the world that we are committed to being at the forefront of a nuclear free Middle East," Khatami added.

The destruction wrought by the nuclear weapons in not proportionate to other types of weapons. Unfortunately the nuclear armaments can destroy the world many times over, he said.

Those who own the nuclear warhead production plants, those who arrogantly threaten the world with using nuclear weapons and those who have the experiences of using such armaments which have inflicted most horrific crimes surpassing all the destruction inflicted by wars throughout the history, do not have the moral authority to prevent heir nations form having peaceful nuclear technology, the president underlined.

"Contrary to the destructive powers of nuclear armaments peaceful atomic technology underpins economic progress and development.

If we master such a technology then we can use the know-how to advance economically and scientifically in other fields." Elsewhere in his press conference, on a question on nuclear spies, he added that the case of those who have been arrested and charged with nuclear piracy will proceed through the legal channels.

On the costs of nuclear weapons issues, he added "I hope that we will not pay any price and use logic in our dealing with the world.

We will resume the nuclear fuel cycle through understandings and concord with the world." In lieu of European commitments Iran has pledged the voluntary suspension of uranium enrichment. Iran hopes that the EU will carry out its promise of recognizing our rights and render assistance to our country in using peaceful nuclear technology, Khatami said.

"If they (Europeans) do not honor their agreements the onus will be on them." On a question on uranium enrichment, he added that we will resume enriching uranium and hope that that the steps will be reciprocated by the EU and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

He also brushed aside the question on US incentives for Iran pledge to scrape its enrichments process saying that Washington has not proposed incentives.

"However, no incentive will worth the scraping of our peaceful nuclear activities."

"We will not stop our to peaceful nuclear-related activities," Khatami added.

He said that the US stonewalling on selling spare-parts for civilian airplane and its disapproval of Iran's membership in the WTO is token of its hegemonic and aggressive tendencies.

He said that his next week's trip to France is unrelated to the Iran-EU nuclear negotiations and is on an invitation by UNESCO.

Khatami will also have as short working-trip to Austria.

Iran's Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi on Friday called the Wednesday Iran-EU3 Paris talks "hard and serious."

Speaking on sidelines of a tour to Bushehr nuclear power plant, Kharrazi said the ideas Iran raised in the steering committee meeting had paved the way for technical negotiations between the two sides in future.

Kharrazi urged the European parties to prove their seriousness in the talks so as to reach concrete results for extension of the objective guarantees.

Appreciating Iranian and non-Iranian technicians as well as the management of the project for Bushehr nuclear power plant, Kharrazi said that would be the first step to use nuclear energy for meeting domestic electricity shortage.

Kharrazi said that definitely, the power plant would raise the Islamic Republic's technical and technological potential to benefit from the nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.

The Minister expressed hope that the Russian side would commission and deliver the plant based on the schedule to which it is committed.

Senior Iranian negotiator with the EU big three on Iran's peaceful nuclear program Sirous Nasseri said here last week that the talks had ended without reaching a final accord and each side maintained its own views.

Nasseri told reporters that the all four parties (Iran and Britain, France as well as Germany /EU big three/) would meet again soon to continue negotiations.

He said that certain proposals had been floated which he thought could lead to an agreement.

"Ideas have been raised which could, if agreed, serve as a basis for an agreement in the future. It's still too early to comment.

Things remain as they were," he said.

He also restated Iran's position that giving up uranium enrichment permanently was not an option.

"This is not something we are prepared to consider. However, as you know, the Europeans have a view on that," Nasseri said.

Nasseri was asked if there had been discussion of the U.S. offer to sell Iran plane spare parts and stop blocking Iran's entry into the World Trade Organization (WTO) in return for ending enrichment.

Nasseri said: "No, we are negotiating with the Europeans, not with the Americans." The seven-hour marathon talks ended at the French Foreign Ministry Wednesday evening without reaching any concrete agreement.