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Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki Monday advised the UN Security Council to wait until Director-General of International Atomic Energy Agency presents his report to the Board of Governors in February.

Talking to domestic and foreign reporters, he said that the Security Council must heed the IAEA report to be released in February which will oblige the Security Council to declare its two former resolutions null and void.

Challenging illegitimacy of passing resolution against Iran when Iran has proved civilian nature of national nuclear program, Mottaki said that the Security Council must send Iranian file back to the UN specialized agency.

Asked about what Iran`s reaction would be in case of issuance of a new resolution, he said, "We hope such an action not to happen. Otherwise, Tehran would show a serious and logical reaction which will be declared later."

Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said that Iran is studying the time of holding the fourth round of talks with US on Iraq and would announce it later. He made the remarks in a press conference after coming back from Davos, Switzerland, where he attended the annual World Economic Forum.
"US commitment to the results of Iran-US talks on Iraq as well as effectiveness of the talks are Iran`s major considerations," he said.
Mottaki said that the US side has responded to Iran through Iraqi authorities. Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki turned down an invitation from Rice in Davos, Switzerland, for conditioning it to halt of Iranian nuclear program.

Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said that Iran and Egypt are currently discussing to keep Egypt-Palestine border point open for relief aid supplies to the people in Gaza Strip suffering from Israeli blockade. He said his special envoy is currently in Egypt to discuss the issue. Referring to recent talks held between President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his Egyptian counterpart Hosni Mubarak, he said Tehran and Cairo are on the threshold of establishing official relations. As to meetings of Iranian and Egyptian deputy foreign ministers, Mottaki said the talks are going on at different levels.
"We expect our Egyptian friends announce their readiness for the move," he said.
Adoption of any possible third resolution against Iran over nuclear program would be "an escape forward,` Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said on Monday.

Speaking to reporters at a press conference, the minister said the fact that the Group 5+1 rushed to discuss Iran`s nuclear issue and made a hasty decision about it indicated that they felt "some concerns about a breakthrough the next report by Director-General of International Atomic Energy Agency, Mohamed ElBaradei, will make. The next report of the IAEA`s chief would probably raise a question in the mind of the world public opinion asking if Iran had no diversion from its peaceful nuclear activities and if the agency was the leading body to monitor nuclear activities of the member states, so on basis of what the United Nations Security Council has so far, issued two resolutions against Iran?" Mottaki said.
He stressed, "Adoption of any possible third resolution against Iran would be a move to escape from being accountable to the world public opinion."

Mottaki urged members of the UN Security Council "to take two brave steps; one is to wait for the release of the next report by the IAEA director general and the other is to normalize the issue of Iran's peaceful nuclear activities by nullifying their previous two anti-Iran resolutions."

Mottaki hoped again that the council would not make any decision on Iran "before receiving ElBaradei's next report." He stressed that Tehran would later announce its serious and logical reaction in case of adopting a third anti-Iran resolution.
Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki here on Monday advised his US counterpart, Condoleezza Rice, to hold talks with Iran in the context of the Group 5+1.
He said, "We have set forth our transparent and logical stand and insist on our rights regarding nuclear energy."
Urging the US authorities to be realistic, he said Washington has accepted that nuclear energy is Iran's legitimate right, but they say that Tehran should suspend nuclear its program.
Mottaki turned down an invitation from Rice in Davos, Switzerland, for conditioning it to a halt to fuel cycle program.
"Nuclear energy is Iran`s indisputable right and we will not negotiate on it," Mottaki noted.
Commenting on hue and cry made by the US on the fabricated story of a naval stand-off in the strategic Strait of Hormuz between Iranian speedboats and a US warship, he said the scenario was created on the threshold of President George W Bush`s tour to the region.

By making the hue and cry, the US tried to show that the regional situation is critical, he said adding that President Bush has failed in his mission to the Middle East.
Mottaki then condemned recent crimes committed by the Zionists in the Gaza Strip and said that the US should be held responsible for the unmanly crimes of Israel.
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad would visit Iraq before the end of the current Iranian year (March 19), Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said on Monday.
"The visit to Iraq of President Ahmadinejad has become finalized," Mottaki told reporters.
He said that he has handed over to the Iranian president an invitation from Iraqi officials.
Mottaki said that the Iraqi officials had delivered the invitation during his recent visit to Baghdad on late October.
The minister added that a number of the heads of states are also expected in Iran before the end of the current Iranian year.

Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki outlined the outcome of his talks with his British and French counterparts in Davos, Switzerland. The Iranian minister said he discussed latest developments in Iran's peaceful nuclear activities as well as major regional and international developments in the meetings.
Speaking at a press conference, he added that he criticized performance of the Group 5+1 in Berlin, Germany, in his talks with Miliband and Kouchner.

Mottaki said latest developments in Iraq and Afghanistan was another major topic discussed by him and his British counterpart.

Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said that Iran has addressed a bulk of questions raised by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on its peaceful nuclear program.
Mottaki added that Tehran is taking final steps in this respect.
Asked about the recent decisions taken by Group 5+1 to press ahead with issuance of a new resolution against Iran, he said that the issuance of a statement in Berlin and agreements on a new resolution against Iranian nuclear program have surprised world public opinion.
Referring to the fact that the two previous resolutions issued by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) were unjustifiable, he added that Iran and other parties involved in the nuclear debate have followed up an unwritten agreement based on previous accords for five months.
The report of IAEA Director General Mohamed Elbaradei and constant inspections by the UN nuclear watchdog showed that there was no sign of diversion in Iran`s peaceful nuclear activities, he noted.
Turning to the current cooperation between Iran and IAEA, he added that within the framework of the modality plan, Tehran agreed to address questions and ambiguities over its nuclear activities and the process is at its last stages.
"We were of the opinion that other sides concluded that weakening IAEA will harm the reputation of Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), therefore, we made a decision to follow up cooperation with the agency," he said.
Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said on Monday that expansion of balanced ties with other countries is among Iran's foreign policy.

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On Iran's nuclear rights, he said benefiting or not benefitting from nuclear energy is beyond the responsibilities of one or specific countries, Mottaki underlined.
Given its 30 year long membership of IAEA, Iran is entitled to benefit from nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, Mottaki said.
Based on rules and regulations of IAEA, Iran is ready to answer all questions and remove any ambiguities to this end, Mottaki said.
Expansion of cooperation between Iran and IAEA should win support of all parties, he said.

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Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said that he hoped the UN Security Council would not make any uncalculated decision in connection with Iran.
"We hope that realism and wise management will dominate all the UN Security Council members, especially its permanent members next month and they will not make any uncalculated decision," Mottaki told reporters here on Monday.
Mottaki said, "If a resolution is issued -- which we hope will not be issued -- then we will announce our stances. Definitely such a decision will have its own impact and we are determined to announce our decision on due time. Of course, the resolution will not have any effect on Iran's resolve to gain its rights completely."

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Asked about effects of the anti-Iran sanctions, Mottaki said the final draft of the resolution is not yet ready so that one can make any comment on its consequences.
He said Iran's annual commercial transactions stand at dlrs 120 billion in value, which shows any sanctions will only deprive some countries of having any share in trade with Iran.
He added that countries should think on wise management of resources and the international decision makers should assure the world nations that in that case their rights would be reserved.
"The UN Security Council should try to maintain its prestige and credit and the sanctions would have no result but disgracing the Council."

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