Global General

Iran says US not yet ready for nuclear disarmament

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-05-30 10:17

TEHRAN - Iranian Majlis (Parliament) Speaker Ali Larijani criticizes the United States for its refusal to commit to a definite timetable for complete nuclear disarmament at the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference which wrapped up in New York on Friday.

Iranian Majlis (Parliament) Speaker Ali Larijani speaks at a press conference in Teheran, capital of Iran, May 29, 2010. Larijani on Saturday criticizes the United States for its refusal to commit to a definite timetable for complete nuclear disarmament at the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference which wrapped up in New York on May 28.[Agencies]

"They (US) were not ready to have a timetable for disarmament and the treaty has been changed into a proposal," the speaker said in a Saturday press conference held in Tehran.

The 189 signatories to the NPT adopted a detailed plan of nuclear disarmament after a month of negotiations. Under its action plan, the five recognized nuclear-weapon countries -- the United States, Russia, Britain, France and China -- commit to speeding up arms reductions and taking other steps to diminish the importance of atomic weapons

The final document also calls for convening a conference in 2012 "on the establishment of a Middle East zone free of nuclear weapons and all other weapons of mass destruction."

Larijani stressed " necessity" of Israel becoming a signatory to the NPT and said, "here we have a regime (Israel) that does not accept the NPT, and is rebelling in the region."  

Larijani also urged Western powers to entirely accept the Tehran's Nuclear Declaration reached by Iran, Turkey and Brazil in Tehran on May 17, dismissing the new round of sanctions as ineffective.

In a major breakthrough Iran, Brazil and Turkey achieved on May 17, Iran agreed to ship some 1,200 kg of its 3.5 percent enriched uranium to Turkey in exchange for a total of 120 kg of 20 percent enriched fuel.

"We draw a red line when it comes to a selective approach to this declaration, and the other side (West) must know that the declaration's clauses are interconnected."

Larijani reiterated the new round of US-pursued sanctions would fail to hinder Iran's progress, and urged Washington and its allies to find new ways to diplomatically engage Iran.

"On this issue (sanctions) the US and several other countries must consider how effective their actions have been so far, and whether the sanctions have affected our nuclear and regional policies," Larijani said, "The logical solution is to find a new way".