Iran must meet basic standards for admission to WTO: White House

AFP: Iran must meet basic “commitments” — including an international ban on nuclear weapons development and transparency in its upcoming presidential election, before it can be admitted to the World Trade Organization, White House spokesman Scott McClellan said Monday. McClellan said the White House in March gave its support to a European offer to help Iran gain admittance to the WTO, in exchange for assurances it would abandon its nuclear efforts. AFP

WASHINGTON – Iran must meet basic “commitments” — including an international ban on nuclear weapons development and transparency in its upcoming presidential election, before it can be admitted to the World Trade Organization, White House spokesman Scott McClellan said Monday.

McClellan said the White House in March gave its support to a European offer to help Iran gain admittance to the WTO, in exchange for assurances it would abandon its nuclear efforts.

“We expressed support for the European efforts as they worked to reach an agreement with Iran to get Iran to abandon its nuclear weapons ambitions, and that was one part of it,” McClellan said.

But he added: “Obviously there are certain commitments you have to make when you seek to join the World Trade Organization, and that is something we pointed out at the time as well.”

The upcoming election to replace incumbent President Mohammad Khatami, set for June 17, faced controversy after officials disqualified a reformist candidate and approved just six, mostly hardline contenders.