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08/18/09
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Iran Ready to Hold Nuclear Talks with Western States 'Without Preconditions'
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By VOA News
A top Iranian nuclear official says Tehran is ready
to hold talks with Western nations on its disputed nuclear program "without
preconditions."
Iranian state media quoted Iran's envoy to the UN nuclear agency, Ali Asghar
Soltanieh, as saying "negotiations without preconditions is Iran's main stance
on the nuclear issue."
Update:
Iran Official Denies He Made Nuclear Talks Statement
TEHRAN (Reuters) -- A senior Iranian official has
denied he had made any
statement saying Tehran was ready for talks with the
West on its disputed nuclear program, state television reported.
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View of Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant in Southern Iran
Iran says its nuclear program is strictly for peaceful purposes |
Iranian officials have made similar statements in the past about possible talks
on Tehran's nuclear activities, while vowing not to back down in its dispute
with the West.
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The Development and Proliferation of
Nuclear Weapons
Today eight countries
are possessing nuclear weapons. The five nuclear weapons states
United States, Russia (former Soviet Union), United Kingdom, France
and China, are the only countries allowed to have nuclear weapons
according to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) from 1970. All
members of the United Nations except Israel, India and Pakistan have
signed the NPT.
source:
nobleprize.org |
The United States and other Western nations have
accused Iran of working to develop a nuclear weapon. Iran says the purpose of
its atomic program is to produce electricity.
Washington has given Iran until the opening of the U.N. General Assembly in
September to take up an offer from six Western nations to discuss trade benefits
if it freezes uranium enrichment. Enriched uranium is needed to make nuclear
weapons.
The U.S. says Iran could face harsher international sanctions if it refuses to
hold talks.
Iran said earlier this month that it asked the International Atomic Energy
Agency to propose a ban on armed attacks against nuclear facilities.
It says the issue of protecting nuclear installations is of urgent concern for
all countries.
Israel, which sees Iran's atomic program as a growing threat, has not ruled out
military strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities.
The IAEA passed a resolution in 1990 banning strikes on nuclear facilities
devoted to peaceful purposes, but Iran says it is important to have a fresh
proposal on the issue.
Some information for
this report was provided by AFP and Reuters.
... Payvand News - 08/18/09 ... --
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