Iran’s Ambassador to UN says US nuclear arsenal worries world

Islamic Republic News Agency
October 21, 2007

Iran’s Permanent Representative to UN Mohammad Khazaie said here Wednesday Iran, the only victim of chemical weapons in contemporary era is highly motivated for efforts aimed at a world without WMD, adding, thousands of nuclear warheads at US arsenal worry world nations.

Khazaie made the comment at a meeting of the UN General Assembly’s 1st Committee, allocated to surveying disarmament and international security.

The IRI Ambassador expounded on Iran’s basic policies in that respect, Iran’s stands regarding usage of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, and the assault of Saddam’s armed forces against Iran and brutal vast usage of chemical weapons during the eight years of imposed war.

Khazaie added, “Nearly two decades after the end of the Iraqi imposed war, still thousands of Iranians are suffering from the effects of the chemical weapons, whose raw materials were provided by some permanent members of the UN Security Council.”

Referring to the existence of thousands of chemical weapons at the arsenal of the US Army, he said, “Today, the world is worried about those fatal weapons more than ever.”

The Iranian envoy pointed out the contradictions in declared US policies regarding global disarmament, while Washington simultaneously threatens other nations of atomic bombardments.

He added, “Although the United States claims to be the standard bearer of the international campaign against weapons of mass destruction (WMD), Washington takes full advantage of the stockpiled nukes at its arsenals as an effective tool at the service of materializing its security and foreign policy objectives.

Khazaie said, “The United States is today threatening the non-nuclear countries that are members of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) of US nuclear attacks.

Iran’s Ambassador at UN also denounced the revived US missile shield defense, which he said is the reminder of the Cold War era, questioned Washington’s intentions in bringing up the issue again, adding, “By allocating fifty billion dollars to that suspicious project, the US is after establishment of absolute security for itself.”

He said, “Yet, such a project has long term negative aftermaths for entire world nations, and materializing such an objective is basically impossible in our closely inter-related world today.” Elsewhere in his address, Khazaie criticized the Zionist regime’s persistent refusal from signing the nuclear NPT, while pursuing its military nuclear programs secretly, arguing, “Israel is the only obstacle in the way of declaring the Middle East a nuclear weapons free zone.”

He added, “The international community, and particularly the regional countries, must act unanimously to counter the threat posed by he nuclear weapons of that expansionist, usurper regime.” Khazaie in his address also referred to the work plan agreed upon by Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) aimed at solving the entire remaining ambiguities, calling the initiative a long stride taken by Iran, that has led to creation of a positive atmosphere for returning Iran’s nuclear dossier to the agency.” Iran’s permanent representative at UN reiterated, “The IAEA’s technical framework and holding negotiations are the only appropriate ways for solving Iran’s nuclear problems appropriately.”

He emphasized, “The Iranian nation and Government are resolutely determined to materialize their absolute right to take advantage of nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.”

Khazaie further stressed, “We are also determined to conquer the peaks of nuclear sciences, while Iran respects its entire international commitments, including those stated in the NPT, and asking for nothing beyond his rights.”