UNSC should not bar Iran from conducting scientific research: Larijani
Larijani made the remarks during a press conference with members of the Greek press and mass media.
He arrived in Greece early Tuesday heading a high-ranking delegation to discuss major regional and international developments with Greek officials. Asked about the Russian and Chinese positions on Iran’s nuclear standoff with the West, Larijani said "they have not betrayed Iran" as "countries are free to adopt stances on international issues based on their capacities."
He stressed that Tehran enjoys "good relations" both with Moscow and Beijing.
On reports over U.S. preparation for an attack against Iran, Larijani said "the U.S. does not dare" to do so and warned that Iran would be "a very difficult target" for the Americans.
Results of recent polls conducted in the region show that over 75 percent of the populations of Muslim states in the region are against U.S. policies both at the regional and international levels as well as its presence in the Middle East, Larijani said.
He noted that the Greeks' recent, massive anti-war demonstrations were also an indication of the willingness of all nations to defend international peace and their opposition to any U.S.-led war. Larijani noted that Washington has portrayed Iran as a regular producer of enriched uranium while "we have no facility for producing enriched uranium but are only in the research stage."
Referring to the Russian offer to enrich Iranian uranium on Iran's behalf in Russian territory as one way of removing international concerns over Iran's nuclear program, Larijani said: "The haste with which the U.S. created an international outcry on Iran's nuclear activities prevented Iran from studying the proposal."
Iran's chief nuclear negotiator said the Russian proposal needed more time for scrutiny from the technical, economic, scientific and practical points of view.
The U.S. and certain European states deprived Iran of the chance to carefully examine the offer and make the necessary consultations with Russian experts, Larijani noted.
Elsewhere in his remarks, Larijani said that Greece could play a major, constructive role in the international arena. He noted that Iran's nuclear case has now reached a critical stage and consultations with friendly countries like Greece would be "highly important and effective."
"U.S. meddling in Iran's nuclear case has created tensions," Larijani said.
He regretted the fact that the U.S. was trying to mislead world public opinion by using its influence on the media.
Asked what Tehran expected from Athens in its current nuclear standoff with the West, Iran's chief nuclear negotiator said: "We expect them to strike a balance between Iran's commitments as a signatory to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and its rights as guaranteed therein when deciding on the nuclear issue."
Larijani stressed that Iran was seeking nothing more than its legal rights under international law and IAEA rules and regulations. Asked how Tehran would react if Athens allowed Washington to use its military base in Souda, southeastern Greece, to launch military action against Iran as reported, Larijani said: "As far as I know, Greek Foreign Minister Theodora Bakoyianni has dismissed the report."
But he warned that the U.S. was itself "vulnerable in many points," and did not elaborate.
Referring to the letter sent by President Ahmadinejad to U.S. President George W Bush on Monday, Larijani said the letter showed the Iranian president's desire for peace and stability in a world threatened by many problems.
"We support a rational and logical solution to Iran's nuclear case," larijani added, and recalled the history of Iran's nuclear program which, he said, was launched 40 years ago when the U.S. signed a contract with the then Shah of Iran to construct nuclear facilities for the country capable of producing 20,000mw of electrical power.
The contract, he said, was cancelled by the Americans after the victory of Iran's Islamic Revolution in 1979.