IRAN DO NOT PRODUCE WMD THAT ARE MADE "HARAM" BY ISLAM
TEHRAN, 8 June. (IPS) In a new argument aimed at rejecting accusations of working hard to get weapons of mass destruction (WMD), particularly the atomic bomb, Iran’s Foreign Affairs Minister said on Sunday that the production of nuclear, chemical or biological arms is religiously forbidden by Islam.
"Since the production of atomic, biological and chemical arms is haram
(an Arabic word meaning strictly forbidden by the religion), we therefore
consider the use of such weapons as haram", Mr. Kamal Kharrazi said a
tumultuous Majles, a statement that some analysts commented as Iran's strongest
rejection yet of allegations that it is seeking to develop nuclear bomb.
But Mr. Kharrazi, a devout Muslim, did not say when Islam did forbade the production of WMD, where he read about the interdiction if it is not in the Qor’an, the Muslim’s holly book and how Islam forbid these arms, mostly the nuclear one, which was not yet discovered at the time of the prophet Mohammad.
"Iran had no plans for producing nuclear weapons and such arms have no place in Iran’s defence programs", Mr. Kharrazi told lawmakers.
In declaration full of contradictions about a report by the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) which accuses the Islamic Republic of having breached some of its obligations with the Agency in the one hand and Iran’s joining the additional protocols to the Non Proliferation Treaty (NPT), the Minister said Iran had done "nothing wrong".
According to an IAEA report filed to member states ahead of the 16 June meeting of the Agency’s Board of Directors and leaked to the media on Friday, the Islamic Republic had secretly imported 1.8 tons of enriched uranium as from 1991, in violation of the NPT.
"Although the quantities of nuclear material involved have not been large...the number of failures by Iran to report the material, facilities and activities in question in a timely manner as it is obliged to do pursuant to its Safeguards Agreement is a matter of concern", the report said.
The United States, which is accusing Iran of using civil atomic energy programs as a cover to develop nuclear weapons, said the findings by the IAEA were "deeply troubling" and a cause for world alarm.
Washington has also been pressuring Russia to end its nuclear cooperation with Iran concerning the construction of a multi-billion-dollar nuclear power plant in the Persian Gulf city of Booshehr, as well as to exercise stricter sanctions on Russian firms that deal with Iran.
But like Tehran, Moscow also insists that Iran’s atomic projects are for civilian purposes and assures that it would continue not only with the Booshehr plant, but possibly building new reactors.
Recently, Russian Atomic Energy Minister called on American firms to join in Iran’s nuclear programs, a suggestion repeated latter by the Iranians themselves.
The IAEA said steps were being taken to bring Tehran into compliance with its safeguards agreements, which aim to ensure nuclear materials and facilities in states that sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) do not end up in secret nuclear weapons programs.
"When (IAEA’s Director) Mohammad el-Brade’i came to Iran, we signed the additional arrangements and obliged new obligations, including informing the Agency before starting any new sites. Hence, we have committed no breach, for our new sites are not yet operational" (sic) Mr. Kharrazi told angry deputies.
But he did not say when the additional arrangements had been signed and if Iran had nothing to hide, why then it failed to inform the IAEA when started construction of new sites or what kind of site he was talking?
Iran’s lamed President Mohammad Khatami admitted that his country had developed uranium enrichment technology and has constructed two sites in Natanz and in Arak for enriching uranium to be used in atomic power plants.
Mr. Khatami’s revelation came after the United States had confirmed information released earlier by the Baghdad-based Mojahedeen Khalq Organisation (MKO) on the plants.
To a question about the new obligations, Mr. Kharrazi said this is something all countries have accepted. "What we are doing is for our benefit. Of course, we cannot accept that our country be embargoes but at the same time give new assurances and accept new obligations. But the public opinion mut be convinced that this is in our benefit". (sic)
For his part, Mr. Qomalreza Aqazadeh, the Head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organisation (AEOI) told the open session of the Majles that IAEA’s controversial report was related to twelve years ago and had "nothing interesting".
"We had asked the IAEA to withdraw it from circulation as not to get attention", he said, adding that the signatories (of the NPT had failed to fulfil their side of the deal to provide other nations with nuclear technologies and know how.
And in an interview with state television, Mr. Aqazadeh called for the IAEA to publish its findings as soon as possible "to prove that the United States is lying".
The comments came a day after inspectors from the IAEA arrived in Iran on a prearranged visit amid charges from the body that Tehran had failed to fully honor the nuclear safeguard agreement.
Iran has also come under mounting pressure to sign an additional protocol to the NPT that would allow IAEA inspectors to carry out surprise inspections of even undeclared sites.
"They cannot deal like this with a mighty Iran", Mr. Kharrazi told deputies. "They cannot put us under pressure and say accept this protocol, or put us under pressure not to use atomic technology for peaceful purposes".
"Whether you help us or don't help us, we have the capability to continue with our plans. But if you want us to remain clear and frank, come and help us and participate. Once you come and participate, you will see that we have nothing to hide", he added. ENDS IRAN IAEA REPORT 8603