NUCLEAR ISSUE OF IRAN IS NOW CLOSED, AHMADINEJAD SAYS

PanARMENIAN.Net
27.09.2007 14:41 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The issue of Iran’s nuclear activities is a matter
only for the United Nations atomic watchdog now and not the Security
Council, the country’s President told the General Assembly today as
he accused "arrogant powers" of abusing the Council to prevent Iran
enjoying its rights and entitlements.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad welcomed what he said was a shift by the UN
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) towards supporting the
rights of its Member States while supervising their nuclear activities.

"Previously, they illegally insisted on politicizing the Iranian
nation’s nuclear case, but today, because of the resistance of the
Iranian nation, the issue is back to the Agency, and I officially
announce that in our opinion the nuclear issue of Iran is now closed
and has turned into an ordinary Agency matter," he said.

The Security Council imposed sanctions on Iran last year amid
concern over the exact nature and scope of the country’s nuclear
activities. Earlier this month, however, IAEA Director General Mohamed
ElBaradei welcomed Iran’s agreement on a timeline to address all
outstanding issues.

Stressing that Iran’s nuclear activities have always been entirely
peaceful and transparent, Mr. Ahmadinejad said Tehran had been deprived
of other members’ technical assistance and sometimes even IAEA support,
despite having fulfilled all of its obligations. Even some centres not
involved in the fuel cycle production or requiring Agency supervision
were closed, he told the Assembly’s annual high-level debate.

"For about five years, some of the aforementioned powers have, by
exerting pressure on the IAEA, attempted to prevent the Iranian
nation from exercising its rights… The Iranian nation came to
the firm belief that the main concern of these powers is not the
possible deviation of Iran’s nuclear activities, but is to prevent
its scientific progress under this pretext."

Mr. Ahmadinejad devoted much of his speech to criticism of "certain
powers," which he said were responsible for many of the world’s
problems. These powers routinely breached human rights despite
claiming to be exclusive advocates of those rights; aggressively
attacked indigenous cultures and national values; promoted lewdness
and violence; perpetuated gross economic imbalances between countries;
violated rules of international law and disrespected their global
commitments; and escalated the arms race.

Mr. Ahmadinejad warned these countries "to learn from history and
their actions," saying they had lost the competence to lead the planet,
and that international relations would soon change.

"The era of darkness will end, prisoners will return home, the occupied
lands will be freed, Palestine and Iraq will be liberated from the
dominion of the occupiers, and the people of America and Europe will
be free of the pressure exerted by the Zionists.

"The tender-hearted and humanity-loving governments will replace the
aggressive and domineering ones.

Human dignity will be regained. The pleasing aroma of justice will
permeate the world, and people will live together in a brotherly and
affectionate manner."

He announced that Iran would help establish the "Coalition for Peace,"
which he described as "a front of fraternity, amity and sustainable
peace based on monotheism and justice."

The Iranian leader also called for the General Assembly to be viewed
and treated as the UN’s most important pillar, with the urgent task
of reforming the Security Council.

"The presence of some monopolistic powers has prevented the Security
Council from performing its main duty, which is the maintenance of
international peace and security based on justice. The credibility
of the Council has been tarnished and its efficacy in defending the
rights of UN Member States has been undermined."

Many nations had lost confidence in the Council, as well as in the
major international monetary and banking mechanisms, he said, the UN
news center reported.