[Iran Press TV Latest] Iran's Center for Strategic Research has warned the president over distorting facts on the state's nuclear program, warning that it can reveal details of his incompetence. The center -- tasked with carrying out strategic studies in various international, political, economic, legal, cultural, and social fields -- took a swipe at the government of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad accusing it of "distorting historical facts" about the nuclear issue. The center warned the administration against falsifying facts concerning the nuclear issue and using the same in the administration's favor.
The criticism came after an administration-supported daily cited Jack Straw, the British justice secretary, as saying that Hassan Rowhani, who held the position of top nuclear negotiator in Iran from 2003 to 2005, had made a pledge to halt uranium enrichment for 10 years.
Rowhani, the head of the Center for Strategic Research and a representative of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution at Iran's National Security Council, says the country's nuclear policies are made based on collective decisions.
As the president is the most public face of the Islamic Republic, the international community has been under the impression that the Iranian president holds ultimate authority on the nuclear issue.
This is while under Iran's constitution, the final say in all matters of state lies with the Leader of the Islamic Revolution.
"Decision making for the nuclear question is a multi-layered process," explained Rowhani in February. "After expert level discussions, any outstanding question is transferred to a meeting comprised of the country's ministers and nuclear officials; and from there the case is reassigned to a meeting of top government officials."
Rowhani added that the lead government officials who take part in the meeting are the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, and heads of the three branches of the government along with the country's top nuclear negotiator.
The former lead nuclear negotiator explained that "therefore, the country's policy regarding the issue of suspension has been the fruit of a collective decision."
The Center for Strategic Research which works as part of the country's Expediency Council issued a statement on Monday questioning the motive behind a story -- published in the Vatan Emrouz daily only days before the election.
The center suggested that the story was aimed at undermining the previous administration and current presidential rivals.
"Why use information that can be proven to be unfounded to save a candidate whose chances of being re-elected as president are believed to be in jeopardy?", read a statement released by the center.
It also called for measures to be incorporated into the electoral laws prevenging actions aimed at disreputing previous administrations.
"One should pay attention that such accusations are accusations leveled against the whole system not an individual."
The statement added that such dishonest campaign tactics could be referred to judicial officials and be reviewed for legal action.
The center warned that unless President Ahmadinejad's Principlist camp halts it alleged dishonest maneuvering, it would be forced to reveal documents detailing the facts about the country's nuclear issue. "The nation will then realize what price they have paid for the inefficiency of certain officials in recent years," read the statement.