TEHRAN – Spokesman for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Behrouz Kamalvandi on Sunday reiterated that Tehran is committed firmly to the Supreme Leader’s guideline of “nuclear energy for all, atomic weapon for none”.

Speaking at a ceremony inaugurating training courses on nuclear rights attended by law experts and officials at the venue of the AEOI, Kamalvandi said Tehran has always attached key importance to the Leader’s guideline on nuclear energy as its main motto. 

Kamalvandi reiterated Iran’s position that if the other side manages to create a balance between rights and obligations Iran is ready to halt reduction of its commitments otherwise Tehran “will continue modification of obligations.” He said Iran decided to scale down parts of its undertakings under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action after a “yearlong patience towards the U.S. withdrawal from the deal to create a balance between rights and obligations.” 

However, he insisted on Iran’s position that “if the other side manages to do the same (creating a balance between rights and obligations) Iran is ready to halt reduction of commitments and if not Tehran will continue modification of obligations.” 

In August 2012, Ayatollah Khamenei said, “The Islamic Republic of Iran considers the use of nuclear, chemical and similar weapons as a great and unforgivable sin. We proposed the idea of “Middle East free of nuclear weapons” and we are committed to it. This does not mean forgoing our right to peaceful use of nuclear power and production of nuclear fuel. On the basis of international laws, peaceful use of nuclear energy is a right of every country. All should be able to employ this wholesome source of energy for various vital uses for the benefit of their country and people, without having to depend on others for exercising this right. Some Western countries, themselves possessing nuclear weapons and guilty of this illegal action, want to monopolize the production of nuclear fuel. Surreptitious moves are under way to consolidate a permanent monopoly over production and sale of nuclear fuel in centers carrying an international label but in fact within the control of a few Western countries.

I stress that the Islamic Republic has never been after nuclear weapons and that it will never give up the right of its people to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. Our motto is: ‘Nuclear energy for all and nuclear weapons for none.’ We will insist on each of these two precepts, and we know that breaking the monopoly of certain Western countries on production of nuclear energy in the framework of the Non-Proliferation Treaty is in the interest of all independent countries, including the members of the Non-Aligned Movement.”

MJ/PA