Iran ready for N-talks without precondition

Iran's permanent envoy to the UN Mohammad Khazaei said the country is ready for talks without any precondition, ISNA reported.

Following a 14-month break, the talks on Iran's nuclear program between The Six (five UNSC permanent members - the United States, China, Russia, France, Great Britain - and Germany) and Iran took place in 2010 in Geneva in December. The next round of discussions took place in Istanbul on Jan. 21-22, 2011. Catherine Ashton chaired the meeting.

After the Istanbul talks, Ashton stated that she is disappointed with the results of discussions held over Iran's nuclear program.

Iranian nuclear program has caused concern since 2003, when the IAEA became aware of its concealed activity. In late 2003, Iran signed the Additional Protocol to the NPT and voluntarily announced about the suspension of uranium enrichment. However, it returned to this activity. Iran insists that as a party to the NPT it has the full right to use nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.

In its latest report issued in March, the IAEA General Secretary Yukiya Omano once again confirmed that Iran's nuclear program is not transparent.

The report urges Tehran to halt its uranium enrichment activities, as demanded by four resolutions previously imposed by the United Nations Security Council.

Iran has vehemently rejected allegations against its nuclear program, saying it needs nuclear energy to meet its growing domestic demand for electricity and to provide fuel for the Tehran research reactor, which produces medical isotopes for cancer treatment.

"In such a situation that nuclear disarmament has got the highest priority in the international community and the resolutions ratified at the General Assembly of the United Nations, we believe that issues regarding disarmament and ban on the proliferation of nuclear weapons are the most significant matters," Khazaei added.

"The only way to achieve sustainable security which is equal for all nations of the world is to resort to the power of logic and avoid resorting to force", Iranian envoy to the UN noted.

Referring to the continuous threat of nuclear arms, he lashed out at the countries with nuclear weapons capability for not complying with their legal commitments to destroy these weapons and added," the only way to remove the danger of the nuclear weapons is their full destruction."

"Iran believes that the best way to guarantee the ban on the proliferation of nuclear weapons is full and non-selective execution of Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) as well as guaranteeing its generalization especially in the Middle East where the nuclear activities of a non NPT member (Zionist regime) sponsored by France, seriously threatens the regional and international security," Khazaei highlighted.

Khazaie expressed Iran's readiness to persue talks with the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany and said, "further discussions have to be based on justice and mutual respect and without any precondition."


/Trend/