Pointing to Iran's nuclear strategy, which was officially formulated in 1988 at the Supreme Council for Technology under the supervision of the president, he said that Iran would enjoy advanced technology and industry in the fourth decade after the Islamic Revolution in view of its current nuclear energy potential. Sa'idi also referred to Iran's 1992 uranium hexafluoride (UF6) contract with China, saying that the Chinese refused to cooperate with Iran due to U.S. pressure. "After losing hope in China, we approached Russia, but the Russians also refrained from cooperation after nine months of delay. "In 1988 we had no other choice but to make use of our own potential and the few nuclear experts in the country."
Iran's nuclear experts have an average age of 25-27, he said, emphasizing that except for the Bushehr nuclear power plant, Iran has not used foreign experts in any of its nuclear projects. This year 3.5 tons of UF6, which is the most strategic nuclear material, and 20 tons of UF4 were produced in Iran, he noted.
He also announced that the Russians have set new conditions for Iran concerning the two countries' earlier contract on returning Iran's spent nuclear fuel to Russia.
| That's encouraging |
"Unfortunately, the new conditions have led to problems for the country, but we have tried to facilitate the process in order to maintain Iran's interests," Sa'idi stated. Asked about Europe's proposal to sell Iran a light water reactor, he said, "What is important for Iran now is a heavy water research reactor. Besides, buying a light water research reactor from Europe would be problematic for the country," he stated. The only guarantee Iran will give Europe is that it will not pursue a nuclear weapons program, the IAEO deputy director stated. Sa'idi noted that in its agreement with Europe, Iran announced that it would continue the suspension only until June, adding that uranium enrichment activities would resume from that date onward.
On the arrest of three nuclear spies said to have been members of the IAEO, he stated that the spies were three low-level IAEO employees.
He stressed that Iran would not accept anything beyond the terms of the additional protocol to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). "When they saw our indigenous nuclear capabilities, the Westerners realized they couldn't take a stance toward Iran similar to the one they took against Libya. They transferred all of its nuclear equipment to Washington on one plane," Sa'idi said.
Referring to threats to attack Iran's nuclear installations, the IAEO deputy director stated, "We are not worried at all." If an attack is made, Iran will be capable of reconstructing all its nuclear installations in a year, he added.
| Uh huh, want to bet on that? |
Iranian nuclear negotiator Sirus Naseri said that Iran will not accept the European Union's proposal to provide nuclear fuel to the country. Iran has not yet observed any indication that the Europeans intend to waste time, he said at the "Nuclear Dossier, Victory, Defeat or Withdrawal" conference in Mashhad, the Qods daily reported on Thursday. "The fact that the Europeans have proposed to offer fuel to Iran is considered in itself a victory for the country, although this was not what we were aiming for," said Naseri, who heads the Iran-EU nuclear working group."If they had suggested this seven or eight years ago, we might have accepted, but now we won't," he added.
Naseri predicted that an extensive propaganda attack would be initiated about Iran's nuclear program in the next six months. "Of course we have also taken the necessary precautions," he stressed. Naseri said the nuclear issue had become a challenge for Iran, adding that there is a certain potential in the nuclear program that could provide exceptional opportunities for the country.
Pointing out that the recent negotiations between Iran and Europe were their most intense in the past 25 years, he said Iran-EU ties would be seriously damaged if the process of talks failed to reach an appropriate conclusion.
The nuclear negotiator added that Iran has followed a very difficult path with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) over the past 16 months.
He said that terrorism is one of the issues on the agenda of Iran-Europe olitical-security working group but added that discussions would only focus on the Mujahedin Khalq Organization (MKO) and the Al-Qaeda terrorist network.
The Europeans are well aware that Iran will simply break off negotiations if they use threatening language or attempt to deceive the country, he stressed. "If they make mischief, it will not be difficult to end the whole show," he observed. Asked about Europe's agreement to help Iran join the World Trade Organization (WTO), Naseri stated that this was not a response to a demand from Iran "but a proposal from Europe". However, it seems that they have failed to live up to what they proposed themselves, Naseri said.