 |
|
Manouchehr Mottaki, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Iran, speaks at a press conference on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly at UN headquarters in New York, Oct. 3, 2007. (Xinhua Photo)
|
UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said here Wednesday that the United States is not in a position to attack Iran.
"Our analysis is clear. The United States is not in a
position to impose another war in our region against their taxpayers," Mottaki
said at a press conference.
"At the same time, any country based on its defense
policies and doctrine should be prepared."
"We have informed the Americans two years ago what
will happen if they make such mad decisions about our country," Mottaki said.
"And they know very well."
He said there are two options to solve Iran's nuclear
issue, one based on cooperation and the other based on confrontation.
"Iran did and do prefer the first option," Mottaki
said.
He accused the United States of imposing pressure on
Tehran to divert attention from its war in Iraq.
"Some specific party, due to some specific reasons,
are trying to create pressure, to solve some other problems which they are
facing, particularly in our region," Mottaki said.
He said that in the past two years, periodically
every six months, Iran has been subject to a psychological war, and that at some
point Tehran even received information about "some exact hour and date that the
strike will take place."
"They were looking at some specific goals, and the
nuclear issue itself was not the goal," he said.
Mottaki insisted that Iran's nuclear activities are
for peaceful purposes only.
"We do not need a nuclear bomb," he said. "It is not
in our military doctrine to have nuclear weapons."
He said that the International Atomic Energy Agency
is the right place to solve the Iranian nuclear issue and that the decision to
take the issue to the United Nations Security Council was made "based on some
political reasons, under the pressure of some specific countries."
"We are not looking and supporting and welcoming any
sanction to our country, because we consider it unjust," Mottaki said. "But it
does not work."
He said a bridge can be established based on Iran's
right to peaceful nuclear technology and on the avoidance of ambiguities and
doubts over Tehran's nuclear activities.
"Our benefit will be realizing our right; the other
side's benefit will be to have a very transparent activities of Iran on the
nuclear issue," Mottaki said.
Late last month, representatives of the five
permanent members of the United Nations Security Council plus Germany met in New
York and reiterated their call for Iran to suspend nuclear activities.
"The proliferation of risks of the Iranian nuclear
program remain a source of serious concern to the international society," said a
joint statement issued by the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and
Germany.
"We seek a negotiated solution that would address the
international community's concerns over Iran's nuclear program," said the
statement, noting Iran should suspend its enrichment-related and reprocessing
activities to make way for the negotiations.
Javier Solana, the European Unions High
Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy, has been asked to meet
with Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, to lay
the foundation for the future negotiations, the statement said.
The six countries demanded Iran fulfill the
requirements of UN Security Council Resolutions 1737 and 1747, including the
suspension of its enrichment and reprocessing activities, or it will face a new
sanction resolution from the Security Council.
"We agree to finalize a text for a third UN Security
Council sanctions resolution ... unless the November reports of Dr. Solana and
Dr. ElBaradei show a positive outcome of their efforts," the statement warned.
Solana and ElBaradei, chief of the IAEA, have for years been negotiating with Iran over its nuclear program.
