Iran Committed to Nuclear Protocols: Assefi *
Assefi told the Mehr News Agency Iran has repeatedly declared that its nuclear activities are meant for "peaceful purposes" and that they embrace the IAEA standards.
"The Islamic Republic was the first to propose devising an international mechanism to make the Middle East a region free from the weapons of mass destruction," he said in reaction to a recent statement by the G8 Summit against Iran. "We were the first country to condemn the use of such weapons."
Assefi also said the G8 countries must clearly carry out their commitments with regards to Iran that is a signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). "Only through this, our constructive cooperation with the group would allay the prevailing concerns."
The Foreign Ministry spokesman added that the U.S. must stop its double standard in dealing with terrorism, suggesting that Washington must adopt an efficient policy toward the issue instead of accusing other countries of promoting terrorism under baseless pretexts.
"Iran has always been the forerunner of anti-terrorism campaigns, and has always fallen a victim to the dilemma," Assefi said. "We have always considered terrorism as evil and have confronted it."
Meanwhile, the spokesman for Iran's Atomic Energy Organization said on Saturday the International Atomic Energy Agency's report on the Islamic Republic's nuclear program showed Tehran's transparency in cooperating with the agency, Reuters reported.
"This report like other reports by the agency's chief bears legal points and indicates Iran's Atomic Energy Organization's transparent interaction with the IAEA," said Khalil Mousavi.
According to an unpublished report, the United Nations nuclear watchdog is said to have accused Iran of failing to comply with safeguards intended to ensure it does not attempt to build an atomic bomb.
The IAEA has also found Iran taking steps to put things right. Mousavi also rejected the U.S. reaction as "politically-motivated" propaganda against Iran. The United States, in a dilemma over its war on Iraq for its alleged banned weapons, has called the report on Iran "deeply troubling."
"America is repeating its claims against Iran...repeating such claims does not mean being able to prove them," he said.
Failing to unveil Iraq's "smoking guns", hawks around U.S. President George W. Bush have hardened rhetoric against Iran, raising the specter of military action. But Bush denies any plan to attack the Islamic Republic, Reuters reported.
"We will announce our official reaction by presenting a statement to the IAEA'S governors on June 16," Mousavi said. The IAEA report will be presented by the agency's chief Mohamed ElBaradei to the governors in Vienna on June 16.
Iran insists its atomic program is solely for electricity and peaceful.
The IAEA, whose inspectors visited Iran in February, said Tehran was taking steps to comply with safeguards agreements that aim to ensure nuclear materials and facilities in NPT signatory states do not end up in secret weapons programs.
Russia is building Iran's first reactor, at Bushehr, despite U.S. complaints. Moscow insists it will recover spent fuel to ensure Iran cannot use it for weapons. A deputy foreign minister said on Friday that Russia still also wanted Tehran to sign up for further IAEA controls, allowing for spot inspections.
"Iran's nuclear activities are transparent and we will act upon our obligations to NPT and continue our cooperation with the agency," Mousavi said.
The official also told the Mehr News Agency that the first group of inspectors from the IAEA arrived in the Islamic Republic on Saturday.
Mousavi said that the group has started its work in Iran, adding that the visit was within the mutual agreements between Iran and the IAEA.
"The visit signifies Tehran's commitment in cooperating with the agency's inspection missions," he said, stressing that Iran has always attached a great significance for cooperating with the agency.
"We have always announced that Iran's nuclear programs are meant for peaceful purposes and the activities in the area embrace the protocols of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)," Mousavi added. "We have previously declared that we are ready to cooperate with the IAEA inspectors within the mutual agreements."