Bloomberg
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said he intends to pursue the Islamic Republic's nuclear program under the supervision of the United Nations atomic agency. "All our nuclear activities are in keeping with the generally recognized rules of international law, and are under full and unprecedented inspection of the International Atomic Energy Agency,'' Ahmadinejad said.
"We are willing to continue our activities under the supervision of the agency,'' he told regional leaders at an economic forum in Baku, Azerbaijan, according to an official English translation of his speech obtained by Bloomberg News.
The U.S., U.K. and France proposed a resolution in the UN Security Council on May 3 demanding Iran cease uranium enrichment, and said they would seek sanctions should the government in Tehran fail to comply. The U.S. suspects Iran plans to build a nuclear bomb, while Iran says its program is for generating electricity.
"The peaceful nuclear programs of the Islamic Republic of Iran are a vivid example of relentless efforts to achieve independence and self-reliance,'' Ahmadinejad said. "There is no choice for the developing countries but to improve the current distressing situation, and try to overcome the technological and development divide with the developed world.''
He said "accusations leveled against'' Iran "are baseless,'' adding that "the bullying powers of the world will by no means change the resolve of our nation to move forward on the path to advancement and progress.''
Iran's enemies, Ahmadinejad said, are waging a "psychological war and trying to establish a nuclear apartheid to prevent our people from exercising their inalienable rights.''
Agence France-Presse reported that after the forum, Ahmadinejad said Iran would change its policies if asked to do so by the IAEA.
"It is natural if they want to put limitations on us,'' the leader said, according to the English-language translator at the news conference, AFP reported. "Corresponding with those limitations, we will change our policies.'' |
