Brussels, 20/02/2006 (Agence Europe) - In Brussels on 20 February, Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said again that Iran was ready to cooperate with the EU (largely through the EU-3) to find a diplomatic solution to the Iranian nuclear problem, but only if the Europeans change their position and recognise Tehran's right to develop nuclear technology for solely civilian and economic ends. Mr Mottaki was in Brussels for talks with the EU High Representative for the CFSP Javier Solana, External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner and Belgian Foreign Minister Karel de Gught. The Iranian Minister was due to speak to the Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament on Monday evening (EUROPE will return to this meeting).
Iran was not seeking to build nuclear arms, but was demanding the right “like every other country” to use nuclear technology for purely civilian and economic ends, said Mr Mottaki at a press conference at the Iranian Embassy. To reassure everyone over its “peaceful intentions”; Iran was ready to accept any kind of inspection on its territory, including by the International Atomic Energy Authority (IAEA) to guarantee that nothing could be diverted for military use. “If our European friends accept Iran's right to nuclear power for civil use, we are ready to see how this could be verified”, said the Minister. The suggestion from Moscow, supported by the EU-3, to enrich uranium for Iran on Russian soil, was an idea worth considering, but two elements had to be clarified first of all, said Mr Mottaki: the project timetable and where in Russia the enrichment would be carried out. Direct talks between Russians and Iranians took place on 20 February in Moscow on these topics, and Mr Mottaki declared himself relatively optimistic about the possibility of reaching a compromise, on condition that Tehran was allowed to pursue its civilian nuclear research inside its own borders. “Research (in Iran) will continue, but we are ready to negotiate any form of compromise” over uranium enrichment in Russia, he said. “If other parties, including the EU-3 accept this, then there is a chance we might get somewhere” in these negotiations, thought Mr Mottaki. At a press conference, Commissioner Ferrero-Wadner's spokeswoman said that the EU could envisage a negotiated solution, but only if Iran once again suspended its research activities (something that will not happen, according to Mr Mottaki). “A compromise is something to be welcomed, but we can only reach such a solution if we return to the measures implemented by the Paris agreement of November 2004 on the moratorium on uranium enrichment,” she stated. A further moratorium would allow confidence to be re-built and the sought after dialogue to be re-engaged, she added.
Mr Mottaki insisted that there were no grounds for fears that Iran would develop nuclear weapons. “We have committed ourselves not to move to nuclear weapons based on our religious belief. Nuclear weapons are not part of Iran's defence doctrine. However, we would like to enjoy our right to have nuclear technologies for peaceful purposes,” he stressed. Every European country had the right to use nuclear technology and research to sustain their economic development, and he wondered why not Iran? Mr Mottaki placed great emphasis on the need for confidence between Europe and Iran. Iran, he said, had always respected its commitments towards Europe. Iran's cooperation with the IAEA had always been correct and honest, and Iran undertook to continue this, he stressed. He noted, “We have had over 1400 inspectors visiting several sites in Iran. We have sent to Vienna (the Headquarters of the IAEA) a document containing over 1000 pages on our nuclear activities. There was no proof or even a suggestion that Iran diverted parts of its peaceful nuclear programme towards military activities in any IAEA report.”
Mr Mottaki also answered questions on the situation around the publication of caricatures of the prophet Muhammed. “We should try to calm the situation. We do not support violence of any kind,” he stated, stressing that freedom of expression must be exercised with care and respect for the values and beliefs of other peoples and countries. “We are faced … with angry Muslims” all over the world. “We have to do our best to prevent any violence. That is what we are trying to do in Iran,” he said.