Reuters: No Iranian government, present or future, will give up the country’s drive to master peaceful nuclear technology, including uranium enrichment, President Mohammad Khatami said on Wednesday.
In a toughly worded speech to foreign ambassadors in Tehran, Khatami also warned Iran could adopt “a new policy” which would have “massive consequences” if Iran’s nuclear talks with the European Union did not prosper.
Reuters
TEHRAN – No Iranian government, present or future, will give up the country’s drive to master peaceful nuclear technology, including uranium enrichment, President Mohammad Khatami said on Wednesday.
In a toughly worded speech to foreign ambassadors in Tehran, Khatami also warned Iran could adopt “a new policy” which would have “massive consequences” if Iran’s nuclear talks with the European Union did not prosper.
“We give our guarantee that we will not produce nuclear weapons because we’re against them and do not believe they are a source of power. But we will not give up peaceful nuclear technology,” Khatami said.
“Neither my government nor any other government could be accountable to the nation for compromising over halting this technology,” he added.
Iran denies U.S. accusations that it is developing nuclear arms under cover of a civilian atomic energy program.
Tehran has suspended key nuclear work, such as uranium enrichment, while it negotiates with the European Union which is offering it trade deals and other incentives if Iran permanently scraps potentially weapons-related nuclear activities.
But Khatami, echoing tough comments by other Iranian officials in recent days, said Iran would never halt enrichment — which can be used to make weapons-grade fuel — and indicated Iran’s patience with the EU talks was wearing thin.
“We consider enrichment our clear right and will never give it up. We suspended it voluntarily to show our goodwill,” he said.
“I stress very clearly that despite all our patience, if we feel others are not meeting their promises, under no circumstances would we be committed to continue fulfilling ours.
“And we will adopt a new policy, the consequences of which are massive and would be the responsibility of those who broke their commitments,” he said.
Khatami did not elaborate on what the new Iranian policy might be.
Hardliners in Iran have called on the government to pull out of the EU talks and to stop cooperating with the U.N. nuclear watchdog.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said on Wednesday Iran must accept the EU offer that it scrap nuclear work in return for trade and other incentives or face referral to the U.N. Security Council.
