Global General

Iran calls on nuclear states to join NPT: spokesman

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-05-03 19:27

TEHRAN - Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said that nuclear-armed countries should join the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), local satellite Press TV reported on Monday.

"Countries which possess nuclear arsenals but pay no heed to non-proliferation of (nuclear) weapons should immediately join the NPT," Mehmanparast said on Sunday in an interview without specifying the countries.

Mehmanparast said the Islamic Republic of Iran welcomes any move toward the global eradication of atomic arms and promotes the application of nuclear technology for peaceful civilian purposes, the report said.

Expressing concerns about those nuclear-armed countries which " feel no commitment to join the NPT", he said that "we need cooperation of the international community."

On Sunday, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad criticized the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for its failure in fulfilling its undertakings including nuclear disarmament, local semi-official Fars news agency reported.

Talking to reporters on Sunday before leaving Tehran for New York to participate in a Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference, Ahmadinejad said the UN nuclear watchdog has failed to fulfill its designated mission in this regard.