Iran Focus: Tehran, Iran, Dec. 31 Irans state-run press
called Saturday on the government of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to reject an offer by Russia for Tehran to carry out sensitive nuclear activities on Russian soil in order to avert possible referral of its suspected nuclear weapons file to the Untied Nations Security Council for possible sanctions. Iran Focus
Tehran, Iran, Dec. 31 Irans state-run press called Saturday on the government of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to reject an offer by Russia for Tehran to carry out sensitive nuclear activities on Russian soil in order to avert possible referral of its suspected nuclear weapons file to the Untied Nations Security Council for possible sanctions.
Moscows proposal has the backing of the European Union and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and is timidly approved by the United States, all of which suspect that Tehran may divert its uranium enrichment program at home for military purposes.
The state-owned daily Ressalat on Saturday wrote, The proposed Russian plan will not fulfil Irans rights [to enrich uranium on its own soil”> and is contrary to the Islamic Republics political, security, economic, and overall considerations.
Russias proposal regarding the enrichment of uranium on its soil will not help solve Irans nuclear file and will only increase its problems and complications, the hard-line daily wrote, adding that the plan would also fuel international propaganda against the struggling Tehran-Moscow relationship.
Top ideologue Hossein Shariatmadari penned a piece in the ultra-conservative daily Kayhan, which often reflects the views of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, rejecting the deal. Another way of describing Moscows plan is depriving us of being able to carry out the nuclear fuel cycle, Shariatmadari said.
The paper said that the Russian proposal would make Iran dependent on others to give it nuclear materials. The only response we should have given was a total rejection of this plan.
Since we considered being able to carry out the nuclear fuel cycle as a red line and this plan ignored this red line, it leaves no room for negotiations, the paper wrote.
Meanwhile, the semi-official daily Jomhouri Islami wrote in an editorial entitled, Russian candy that by accepting Moscows proposal Tehran would lose completely its ability to carry out uranium enrichment at home.
This is what the Europeans had been saying until now using a different language and now Russia is giving us the same plan with a different wrapping and a new cover, the daily added.
