Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

President: Iran ready for cooperation on nuclear issue

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, July 30, IRNA -- President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says Iran is ready for effective cooperation over its nuclear issue.

"You know that in recent months the nuclear fuel swap issue was put forth and it was agreed that by swapping fuel we would take a step ahead towards interaction to dispel the misconceptions on behalf of both sides and turn the confrontations into interaction and cooperation. Nonetheless, other irrelevant issues were posed and unfavorable things happened. However, we have always been ready to interact. This was until Mr. Obama invited the Brazilian president and Turkish prime minister to talk to Iran and pave the way for interaction and this was what we also wanted. They came to Tehran and we held negotiations and the result was the Tehran Declaration,” said President Ahmadinejad in an exclusive interview with Press TV on Monday.

President Ahmadinejad made the remark when asked by Press TV to comment on an Iranian letter, already sent to the EU's foreign policy chief and a lot of headlines generated about the beginning of a new round of negotiations with the P5+1.

President Ahmadinejad further said, “The Tehran Declaration comprises of a reasonable, legal and fair framework, both for friendship and cooperation as well as a nuclear fuel swap and it was crystal clear. But, unfortunately some parties did not like it to happen. The US administration spearheaded and the UK added fuel to the fire and a couple of other governments aided and abetted, instead of offering a positive response to Iran's great step. Iran had really taken a significant stride. It accepted to send its nuclear materials out of Iran and sign an agreement with those who have repeatedly and unilaterally violated their previous agreements with Iran. Nevertheless, Iran accepted to enter the deal in order to pave the way for further cooperation.

(Instead), they issued a very deficient resolution, not only in terms of its effectiveness, but to the effect that the move, in its very nature, is suspicious. When they came short of reason, they immediately resorted to force and resolution which is very unacceptable. International relations must be resolved through logic and dialogue. The resolution was issued at the time when the Zionist regime had attacked the Flotilla of humanitarian aid in international waters. They did not react towards Israel but issued a resolution against Iran which, as mentioned, had offered its hand to cooperate. At that time, we denounced what they did and to teach them a lesson on how to treat nations, we will not enter any talks until mid-Ramadan. Later, some of those states contacted us and accepted Iran's timeline for talks. Surprisingly, it was about 3-4 months that Mr. Jalili (the Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council) had been contacting the EU foreign policy chief for holding talks, but she did not reply. She even did not make a move ahead, making excuses such as their not being ready, etc. But the day after the resolution was issued she made an interview and sent a letter saying they are ready for negotiations. Mr. Jalili responded to her, saying Iran is also ready for talks, but the negotiations will start at the time I mentioned.”

Also asked to comment on the fourth round of the UN Security Council’s anti-Iran sanctions and their effects and also the European media rumor that Iran had already knew about the sanctions, the President said that it is not true.
“We have previously said that, the idea of issuing a resolution to force us enter into talks is a defeated logic. We have always held talks and have never stopped them. If at any time the talks were halted that has been from their part because they always came short of logic and when they saw themselves having no reason or when they wanted to take illegal actions they stopped the talks,” said the Chief Executive.

He said, ”Mrs. Ashton, who for 3 months, did not come for negotiations, sent a letter saying they were ready for talks and, in response, Mr. Jalili said we were ready for talks as well and this is not a new thing because we have always been ready. However, I announced that since they have made an unacceptable move, we postpone the talks for two months. That means we are ready for talks by early September and now I say it again. This has nothing to do with the resolution, because if they came before the resolution we would enter the negotiations. Even now we are ready to talk but it is the framework of the talks which is of importance. The basis of the talks is important. We say that the talks should be based on respect and justice. We have offered the framework to them through a package which includes international affairs and global concerns and it is quite clear. They know themselves that they cannot make Iran withdraw. They have launched propaganda in a bid to show that Iran has stepped back, which is not true. We should not step back but rather move forward based on justice and friendship. Everyone would benefit from it.”

To a question whether the president was ready for the talks again in September and that whether Iran is open to the nuclear issue if the P5+1 discusses it with the Iranians, his Excellency said, “We said that we will talk with P5+1 as of early September but there are some conditions. One of the conditions is that others should be present in the discussions as well. Why the P5+1 should talk to us? Where did P5+1 come from? If the five are the permanent members of the UN Security Council what is Germany doing in talks? We welcome the presence of Germany in talks but we say that others should be also present in talks for the same reason that those five countries and Germany are in the negotiations.”

He said, “The second condition is that they announce their position on certain issues like their viewpoint on the Zionist regime's atomic bombs. They should say whether they consent to it or not. That's all. We don't expect more. With respect to the negotiations, they should announce whether they are after friendship or animosity. They should come and tell us if the aim of the talks is friendship or animosity. Regarding the NPT and its review, they should express their views. At the New York meeting, certain reforms were made to the NPT. We want them to express their views as to whether they agree or disagree with the reforms. And they should announce whether they follow logic or force and resolutions in the negotiations.”

He noted, “Their response will paint a clear picture of the atmosphere of negotiations. Any response they give us would not matter. We prefer their response to be constructive, but if their response is not constructive, we would follow negotiations accordingly.”

”On the Iranian nuclear issue, we don't have anything called the Iranian nuclear dossier. They have made it up. We act according to law. We have had the most cooperation with the [International Atomic Energy] Agency and we have cooperated with the Agency beyond legal obligations so far as the IAEA has released all intelligence pertaining to our nuclear program in violation of law. Once we give a report to the Agency, you can see it in American press tomorrow. This is a blatant violation of law. They should protect intelligence related to countries. We have, however, not protested the move. We indeed reserve the right to protest,” said Ahmadinejad, adding, “We are the only country whose nuclear information can be found in every paper. We have acted in accordance with law and we will continue to do that. Their claims will not have an impact on us but we will talk on international issues, our differences of opinion and our common concerns. We have always talked. I even said that I am ready to talk with Mr. Bush. Last year, I said that I was ready to talk with Mr. Obama. We have a clear logic and we talk based on that.”

He announced, “I think that they consider negotiations as a tool to dominate the world. We don't look at it this way. We believe that talks are for understanding, deepening friendship and peace, not animosity.”

Elsewhere in the interview, President Ahmadinejad said world equations are changing in today's world.

“Indeed, these equations depend on thought and culture, which are changing rapidly in the world. The tendency of the people in world toward justice is growing. Everyone is after justice and they don't accept discriminatory relations. Everyone is looking for respect. Everyone is looking for equal rights. These are changes of minds. Changes of minds will certainly lead to political changes.”

”We think that all should participate in the future management of the world based on justice and respect. No one should consider themselves superior than others. All are equal and relations should be just and fair based on mutual respect. Regarding the revolution of mind happening now in the world, some are pioneers including Iran, since Iran gained real independence and stood up against both the East and the West. Iran withdrew itself out of the circle of the influence of these powers and so it was able to have an impact mainly cultural on the international arena. The status of Iran with regard to political relations is like others, but what matters for Iran and is happening now is that Iran is in the hearts of people. Iran has relations with other countries based on love and friendship. We love to come to the point where all relations are based on love and friendship but it is a status which cannot be assessed through political relations.”

On Russia’s vote in favor of an anti-Iran resolution at the UN Security Council, the President said Russia had voted in favor of resolutions already passed against Iran. It's nothing new.

“… But recently some remarks made by the Russian president are encouraging the US and giving it the green light to pressure Iran. These remarks are in fact sacrificing the interests of the Russian nation in favor of the US. And it is more to the detriment of Russia than to the detriment of us.”

”There already are four resolutions (against Iran), they may as well add another three digits to it and declare in the next few years that they have passed the 4000th. It has become like an insider's joke. Not that we welcome them; but, they will approve so many resolutions that they will eventually lose their effectiveness.”