Australia committed to negotiated outcome to nuclear dispute: Moriarty
The Australian ambassador to Tehran stressed that it is very important to have exchanges of views to deepen the bilateral relationship.
Moriarty said his country favors dialogue in the impasse over Iran’s nuclear program.
“Australia believes that Iran is a very important country, and obviously a very important part of the world, and we want to build our relationship with Iran at the political-economic level and also people-to-people levels,” he added.
“We in Australia believe that there is much to be gained from dialogue with Iran on important regional issues. “We particularly value dialogue on the issues of Iraq and Afghanistan and the Middle East region.”
He went on to say that Australia appreciates the leading role that Iran plays in the campaign against the illicit drugs trade, the great sacrifices that Iran has made in dealing with drug trafficking, and the great burden that Iran has borne in terms of dealing with refugees from Afghanistan.
Turning to the nuclear issue, the diplomat said that Australia is strongly committed to a negotiated outcome to the dispute which would allow Iran to benefit from the peaceful use of nuclear energy and also reassure the international community about the peaceful nature of its nuclear program.
“We certainly encourage compromise and dialogue and hope that the process currently underway does lead to a good outcome, and we certainly are very active in our diplomacy in terms of trying to support a negotiated outcome that meets the requirements of all parties,” he underlined.
“Australia is not a member of the Security Council or a central player in the negotiations, but we have been a founding member of the IAEA in Vienna and we have been a leading sponsor of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. “We have also been very active in international efforts to ban chemical and biological weapons… and have had very close involvement with the nuclear issue and other weapons of mass destruction issues in the international community.”
Moriarty noted that Australia is interested in seeing a country like Iran succeed in delivering prosperity to its people, boosting its economy, creating jobs for young people, and making a positive contribution to the region and world.
“We hope Iran does seize the opportunities to engage positively in the international community because the people of Iran are very talented people and they deserve a very bright and prosperous future and we believe that we can play a role in supporting that growth and prosperity,” he added.
The ambassador said that much of the news in Australia about Iran comes from international news sources, but noted that Iranian films have become much more popular in Australia in recent years and more Australians are coming to know more about the complexity of Iran through Iranian cinema.
“Australian business people who do business with Iran are also very effective in giving a balanced picture of the Iranian environment to the Australian people and we in the embassy also strive to do that,” he noted.
Elsewhere in his remarks, Moriarty said that Australia has held very positive human rights dialogues with Iran.
“We have had some good communication with the Islamic Human Rights Organization… and the Judiciary.
“We think that (Judiciary Chief) Ayatollah Shahrudi’s willingness and his openness to acknowledge problems in Iran that need to be addressed is very positive,” he added. Nuclear rights
Esmaeili stated that global concerns over the proliferation of nuclear weapons should not be used as a pretext to deprive Iran of its inalienable right to the peaceful use of nuclear energy.
“Iran seeks a way through which the concerns of both sides can be recognized and allayed,” he observed. “Iran has been trying to allay the concerns through its confidence-building measures over the past three years and, despite illogical pressure, did not choose to withdraw from the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and instead remained an active member of the International Atomic Energy Agency in order to seek its rights.”
Esmaeili noted that new nuclear talks with the European Union could lead to positive steps, adding that the Islamic Republic has made frequent proposals even beyond its obligations based on the additional protocol and the NPT to allay international concerns over its nuclear activities.
“The IAEA is the only source that must confirm the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear program and Australia, as a founding member of the agency, must support this approach,” he said.
“The involvement of the UN Security Council in the issue in any way is detrimental and a coup de grace to the process of dialogue and cooperation. “Explicitness and patience are the two main factors that can lead to successful nuclear talks.”
Esmaeili called the 5+1 group nuclear offer positive but incomplete, adding that the proposal contains some ambiguities which must be clarified.
He said that the only way to resolve the issue is through dialogue, adding that Iran has some proposals to complete the Western package in order to make it practicable. “An agreement between Iran and the West can lead to a new mechanism that can ensure both the production of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes in Iran and the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons.”
“If Australia is really concerned about the proliferation of nuclear weapons, why has its representative in the IAEA never complained about the indifference of major powers, particularly the U.S., toward the proliferation of a new generation of nuclear weapons and violations of Article 6 of the NPT?” Esmaeili inquired.
He noted that the Islamic Republic respects international concerns and is even ready to show more flexibility. “But freezing nuclear activities under the pretext of international concerns is unacceptable,” he added.
The NPT is a global treaty and it would be unacceptable to say that one regime can be excluded from its supervision while another nation can be deprived of its rights based on the treaty, he stated. -------------------------Revival of ties
Esmaeili also stressed the need for the revival and expansion of ties between the two countries.
He noted that Iran has never had any particular political problem with Australia, “But unfortunately some foreign elements have cast a shadow over efforts to develop bilateral ties.
“For instance, for several years economic cooperation between the two countries has come to a halt. Cooperation in the fields of agriculture, industry, and environmental issues has remained suspended. “These obstacles should be removed so as to strengthen ties between the two nations.”
Esmaeili noted that bilateral ties should develop based on national interests, adding that these interests should not be influenced by the interests of other powers.
Australia’s relations with Iran are influenced by two issues, he observed.
“One is Western accusations about the human rights situation in Iran and the second is (Australia’s) absolute adherence to U.S. policies against the Iranian nuclear issue. “However, our people are concerned about violations of the rights of Australian Aborigines and Australia’s interference in East Timor.”
By conducting dialogue, avoiding the influence of third parties, and taking national interests into consideration, the two countries can adopt a logical diplomacy, Esmaeili observed.
He noted that Australian public opinion has an unrealistic view about Iran which is influenced by Western media and called on the ambassador to transfer his knowledge about the realities in Iran to his country.
In addition to improving its internal situation, Iran is also interested in working for world peace and global security, Esmaeili said.