Official talks of ‘response’, Daily offers withdrawal from NPT

Iran Focus: Hassan Rowhani, head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council and Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator today threatened key European nations by stating on state television that Iran was ready to react if a harsh resolution was adopted condemning Iran at the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) Board of Governors upcoming meeting. Iran Focus

Paris, Sep. 8 – Hassan Rowhani, head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council and Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator today threatened key European nations by stating on state television that Iran was ready to react if a harsh resolution was adopted condemning Iran at the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) Board of Governors upcoming meeting. The state-controlled newswire IRNA quoted him as saying, “If the Europeans do not respect their commitments or present an illogical or harsh resolution, Iran has already decided its response.”

The IAEA, the UN’s nuclear watchdog, has complained that Iran has thus far systematically refused to fully cooperate in the inspections of its nuclear sites. The United States wants Iran’s nuclear file to be sent to the UN Security Council for noncompliance of its nuclear obligations set out under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Colin Powell yesterday stated “We believe that we have seen enough, that action is warranted, and the (IAEA) should refer the matter to the Security Council at its upcoming meeting next week.”

The state-run Kayhan daily which is aligned to Iran’s hardline Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Sep. 6 threatened that Iran should withdraw altogether from the NPT if the IAEA doesn’t give it a clean bill of health. It stated that ‘an ultimatum is the only way to make progress.’

It added that, “The ultimatum should end at least 15 days before November 2nd, the day of US presidential elections. That is because if the IAEA closes Iran’s case in time, it would deal an effective blow to the US administration while bringing Iran out of the present impasse. And if the IAEA refuses to close our nuclear case, our country’s withdrawal from the NPT would both be a way out of the present nuclear deadlock and would at the same time confront Bush and his gang with a major defeat that would have a significant impact on the upcoming U.S. elections.”

The IAEA Board of Governors are set to discuss Iran’s nuclear file on Sep. 13. The Group of 8 will also debate Iran’s file on Thursday and Friday of this week.