 
CHANNELS SPACEWAR WIRE MILITARY SPACE UAV NEWS MILITARY COMMS CYBERWARS MISSILE NEWS RAYGUNS TERRORWARS SPACEDAILY TERRADAILY MARSDAILY SPACE TRAVEL SPACEMART SPACE DATABASE  SERVICES |  
Iran could revise the level of its cooperation with the international nuclear watchdog but does not envisage pulling out the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, foreign ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi said Sunday. "The method of cooperation could change if the realities are ignored," Asefi told a press conference, while adding, "the question of cooperation is not at issue." Asefi was speaking after a US-backed resolution by the International Atomic Energy Agency condemning Iran for hiding possibly weapons-related nuclear activities prompted Tehran to suspend the return of IAEA inspectors scheduled for Saturday. "We have cooperated with the IAEA and we are still interested in this cooperation because we are clear on our objectives and intentions", he said. Asefi said remarks Wednesday by Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi indicating that Tehran could break ties with the IAEA had been misinterpreted. Kharazi had said, "We are engaged in cooperation (with the IAEA), and for this to continue the cooperation has to be bilateral. If one side does not respect its obligations, the cooperation will end." "We advise the Europeans to respect their obligations and to resist American pressure, otherwise there is no reason for cooperation to continue," Kharazi added. Asefi said the return of the inspectors would have to be renegotiated. "The necessary coordination will take place with the IAEA for the visit of the inspectors and the conditions and date of their arrival will be the subject of discussions", spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi told a press conference. He branded the IAEA resolution "unfair and insulting," saying the cancellation of the inspection team's visit was Tehran's response to it. "We will not allow anyone to speak of the Islamic republic in this manner," Asefi warned. He dubbed "inacceptable" IAEA demands for a complete accounting of Iran's nuclear activities, stressing that Tehran had "nothing to hide." And he said that the refusal to allow in the inspectors should not be used as a pretect to refer Iran to the UN Security Council, which could decide to implement sanctions. All rights reserved. Copyright 2003 Agence France-Presse. Sections of the information displayed on this page (dispatches, photographs, logos) are protected by intellectual property rights owned by Agence France-Presse. As a consequence, you may not copy, reproduce, modify, transmit, publish, display or in any way commercially exploit any of the content of this section without the prior written consent of Agence France-Presse. Quick Links
|
|
| The contents herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2002 - SpaceDaily. AFP Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement |