Iranian FM, Manouchehr Mottaki: US in no position to attack Iran

www.chinaview.cn 2007-10-04 03:26:50 Print

UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) --

Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said here Wednesday that the United States is not in a position to attack Iran.

"Our analysis is clear. The United States is not in a position to impose another war in our region against their taxpayers," Mottaki said at a press conference.

Manouchehr Mottaki, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Iran, speaks at a press conference on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly at UN headquarters in New York. (Xinhua/AFP Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

"At the same time, any country based on its defense policies and doctrine should be prepared."

"We have informed the Americans two years ago what will happen if they make such mad decisions about our country," Mottaki said. "And they know very well."

He said there are two options to solve Iran's nuclear issue, one based on cooperation and the other based on confrontation.

"Iran did and do prefer the first option," Mottaki said.

He accused the United States of imposing pressure on Tehran to divert attention from its war in Iraq.

"Some specific party, due to some specific reasons, are trying to create pressure, to solve some other problems which they are facing, particularly in our region," Mottaki said.

He said that in the past two years, periodically every six months, Iran has been subject to a psychological war, and that at some point Tehran even received information about "some exact hour and date that the strike will take place."

"They were looking at some specific goals, and the nuclear issue itself was not the goal," he said.

Mottaki insisted that Iran's nuclear activities are for peaceful purposes only.

"We do not need a nuclear bomb," he said. "It is not in our military doctrine to have nuclear weapons."

He said that the International Atomic Energy Agency is the right place to solve the Iranian nuclear issue and that the decision to take the issue to the United Nations Security Council was made "based on some political reasons, under the pressure of some specific countries."

"We are not looking and supporting and welcoming any sanction to our country, because we consider it unjust," Mottaki said. "But it does not work."

He said a bridge can be established based on Iran's right to peaceful nuclear technology and on the avoidance of ambiguities and doubts over Tehran's nuclear activities.

"Our benefit will be realizing our right; the other side's benefit will be to have a very transparent activities of Iran on the nuclear issue," Mottaki said.

Late last month, representatives of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council plus Germany met in New York and reiterated their call for Iran to suspend nuclear activities.

"The proliferation of risks of the Iranian nuclear program remain a source of serious concern to the international society," said a joint statement issued by the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany.

"We seek a negotiated solution that would address the international community's concerns over Iran's nuclear program," said the statement, noting Iran should suspend its enrichment-related and reprocessing activities to make way for the negotiations.

Javier Solana, the European Unions High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy, has been asked to meet with Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, to lay the foundation for the future negotiations, the statement said.

The six countries demanded Iran fulfill the requirements of UN Security Council Resolutions 1737 and 1747, including the suspension of its enrichment and reprocessing activities, or it will face a new sanction resolution from the Security Council.

"We agree to finalize a text for a third UN Security Council sanctions resolution ... unless the November reports of Dr. Solana and Dr. ElBaradei show a positive outcome of their efforts," the statement warned.

Solana and ElBaradei, chief of the IAEA, have for years been negotiating with Iran over its nuclear program.

Editor: Mu Xuequan

Fair Use Notice

This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.