Iranian President Mohammad Khatami has given new assurances that Iran’s nuclear programme is peaceful and denied that Iran has any improper ties with North Korea.
Speaking at the World Economic Forum, where he delivered a keynote address, he insisted Iran never owned weapons of mass destruction and "vehemently" opposed production of nuclear arms. Mr Khatami also strongly denied that Iran had received nuclear materials from North Korea and ridiculed US President George W Bush’s claim that tough US policies had made Iran a good nuclear citizen. "Iran has never had weapons of mass destruction," the reformist president told reporters. "We vehemently oppose the production and manufacturing of nuclear weapons and for this reason we have extensive, sincere and honest cooperation with the IAEA," the International Atomic Energy Agency. Mr Khatami also issued a strong response to reports that North Korea had supplied Iran with nuclear material. "I categorically deny the shipment of nuclear material by North Korea to Iran. We have nothing to hide," he said.
| "Nope. Nope. Never happened." |
The Iranian president said his country has a stronger relationship with South Korea than the communist North. Mr Khatami said Iran reserved the right to the peaceful use of nuclear energy. Mr Khatami rejected any suggestion that it changed its nuclear policy for fear of the United States after the Iraq war as suggested by Mr Bush in his State of the Union speech Tuesday. He said Iran was already a participant in the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and other international efforts to curb the spread of weapons. He attributed any progress to Tehran’s dialogue with European countries instead.
| "Yeah! Why can't you Merkins be more like the Frenchies? Except for those headscarves..." |
Mr Khatami also challenged Mr Bush’s claim of success in Washington’s Middle East policies, citing its failure to capture Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden or find weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. Despite speculation of the beginnings of a thaw in relations between Iran and the US since the Iraq war, Mr Khatami said Tehran had yet to see any signs of respect and a desire for an equal dialogue from Washington. But he had noted a change in tone by the US administration that once characterised Iran as part of an "axis of evil." "I hope the changes we have witnessed in tone used by the United States will not be a tactical ploy but a real strategic change in policies and attitudes." On the political crisis unfolding in Iran, Mr Khatami said he has no intention of stepping down as president, despite the fact that many cabinet ministers are said have submitted their resignations. He expressed confidence that his showdown with conservative is heading towards a settlement after free elections are held. |