Iran's Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki yesterday slammed the US
government for impeding his country's development of nuclear technology for
energy use, saying Iran would not bow down to western pressure.
Mottaki, who is attending the 35th Council of Foreign Ministers Meeting of
the Organization of Islamic Conference here, told reporters the United States,
while relying on nuclear reactors for 25 percent of its power generation, has no
grounds to hinder Iran's peaceful use of the same technology.
The three-day meeting, due to end today, will discuss issues related to
Iran's nuclear program, the situations in Afghanistan, Iraq and Palestine, as
well as rocketing oil and food prices worldwide.
"America is the country, even now testing the third, fourth or fifth
generation of nuclear bombs; such a country is not in a position to instruct
other nations to have nuclear energy or not," Mottaki said.
The Iranian minister said late last month that the US should conduct a
"serious review" of its foreign policy after presidential elections later this
year.
"We are enjoying our membership of NPT (Non-Proliferation Treaty) for more
than 37 years. We are a committed member of the IAEA (International Atomic
Energy Agency). Having nuclear energy and nuclear technology is the right of a
member state, which we are realizing," said Mottaki.
"We will continue to realize our right" he added, noting that his country's
nuclear enrichment program conforms to relevant rules and regulations.
Under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, a country has the right to enrich
its own fuel for civil nuclear power, under inspection by the IAEA.
While defending Iran's nuclear program, Mottaki declined to reveal the
contents of a package plan presented by the five permanent members of the UN
Security Council and Germany in Teheran last week.
The latest package of incentives, which includes economic, political and
security proposals, aims to encourage Iran to temporarily suspend its nuclear
enrichment program for three to six months to facilitate the opening of
negotiations.
"We will consider this package and as they have said they are considering the
package that we have offered," said Mottaki.
While Iran is considering the package, western powers should also consider
what it has put on table, he said.