Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said yesterday that the ongoing Israeli
attack on Lebanon and Palestine had forced Iran to re-examine the international
incentive package.
Ahmadinejad made the remarks in a joint press conference with visiting
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.
"We are studying the package, considering our interests and legitimate
rights, but what happened in Lebanon has affected our examination on the
proposals, we have to review it carefully, and I have request my colleagues to
review it more carefully,"Ahmadinejad told the reporters.
On Sunday morning, some 60 Lebanese, including 37 children, were killed in an
Israeli air raid on the village of Qana in southern Lebanon, the deadliest
single Israeli attack since the conflict erupted after the Lebanese Shiite group
Hezbollah kidnapped two Israeli soldiers and killed eight others in a
cross-border attack on July 12.
Ahmadinejad, meanwhile, suggested that his country would not suspend uranium
enrichment activities, saying "nuclear energy is clean and renewable, all
countries have the right to use it, the Iranian government has determined to
fully exploit the rights of the nation."
Earlier on Sunday, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid RezaAsefi warned
if the United Nations approved a resolution asking for suspension of Iran's
sensitive nuclear activities, it would no longer consider the incentive package.
"The (six-nation) package will no longer on the agenda anymore if they pass a
resolution against Iran," Asefi told reporters, adding "they want to menace Iran
by putting pressure, but no country could get anything, this will just make the
current situation even worse."
He also warned that Iran would revise its policy, referring to a possible
halt of Iran's cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog. On June 6, EU foreign
policy chief Javier Solana presented Iran with a package on the Iran nuclear
issue, which was agreed on by six nations including the United States, Britain,
France, Russia, China and Germany.
The proposal includes both incentives aimed at persuading Iran to suspend
uranium enrichment and possible sanctions if Iran does not comply.
On Friday, the Security Council drew up a draft resolution, demanding Iran
stop enriching uranium activities before Aug. 31 or face international
sanctions. The draft resolution is likely to be voted soon.