TEHRAN, July 9 (Xinhua) -- Iranian President Mohammad Khatami Wednesday
told visiting International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General
Mohammad ElBaradei that "Iran is willing for serious cooperation with IAEA."
Noting mounting international pressure on Iran to sign a
n additional
protocol to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), Khatami said "we should
make a distinction between concerns on spread of weapons of mass destruction
(WMD) and malicious claims by some powers."
He was referring to "cry and hue" by the United States and some of its
allies on Iran's "peaceful nuclear activity" as "malicious."
He accused US allegations that Iran has been secretly carrying out nuclear
weapon program, and described such claims as ill-intentioned." "Any policies on
the part of Iran is not a guarantee to stop future claims and pressures," he
said.
He told ElBaradei that Iranian experts have acquired knowledge for peaceful
use of nuclear energy. "We have the right to use this knowledge and you have the
right to be assured that it would be channeled into peaceful aims."
"While Iran is undoubtedly willing to cooperate with IAEA, it is adamant to
clear all misunderstandings and to defend its national interest and pride and
will not buckle under undo pressures and baseless claims," Khatami said.
ElBaradei again urge Iran to cooperate with IAEA to remove the concerns on
its nuclear safeguards. "Iran's nuclear program should be transparent. It is in
Iran's interest to sign the additional protocol to NPT," he told Khatami.
"Signing of the NPT additional protocol would not create any specific
problem for the Islamic Republic. The additional protocol is meant to lay the
grounds for supervision by the IAEA over the activities of states within the
framework of the IAEA norms," ElBaradei stressed.
ElBaradei arrived here Wednesday morning for a one-day visit in an effort
to urge Iran to sign the NPT additional protocol, which would grant UN nuclear
inspectors the power to make surprise visits to suspect facilities in Iran.
End
