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Ultimatum not acceptable: Rafsanjani
You get the idea that the Mad Mullahs™ really mean it when they say 'no deal', and all the bloviating in the world by Javier Solana and the EU3 won't change a thing except give the Mullahs time to build a bomb and a missile delivery system.
TEHERAN - Former Iranian president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani yesterday said that Teheran would not accept any ultimatum in the talks on its nuclear programme. “We have agreed to talk (with the world powers) on the issue for finding a settlement (in the nuclear dispute) and are indeed hopeful to do so,” Rafsanjani said at a Friday prayer congregation in Teheran. “But again they (world powers) come up with ultimatums, timetables and even threats which are unacceptable for Iran,” added the moderate cleric who is one of the most vehement critics of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

The five United Nations Security Council member states plus Germany have given Iran a two-week deadline to either accept suspension of uranium enrichment - and in return avail itself of Western economic and political incentives - or face further financial sanctions.

Ahmadinejad on Wednesday rejected the demand and called on the veto powers “to accept realities” and acknowledge Iran’s right to pursue nuclear projects, including uranium enrichment.

“We are ready to remove all international concerns and negotiations are the best framework to do so, and to prove that Iran’s nuclear projects are peaceful and that Iran would never be after acquiring weapons of mass destruction due to religious obligations,” Rafsanjani said.

The cleric added that during the 1980-1988 war with Iraq, although the regime of former Iraq president Saddam Hussein used toxic gas against Iranian forces, Teheran refrained from reciprocating and utilised just internationally acknowledged methods of warfare.
Posted by: Steve White 2008-07-26
http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=245227