Iran says sanctions will not change its nuclear position
Published: Sunday, August 10, 2008
11:45GMT—7:45AM/EST
IRAN – NUCLEAR – SANCTIONS
Washington, 10 August (IranVNC)—Iran said today that its stance on the nuclear issue has not changed, despite threats earlier this week by Western powers of additional sanctions against the country.
“Our position on the nuclear issue is strong and clear and will not change with sanctions and threats,” government spokesperson Gholamhossein Elham was quoted by Iran’s IRIB News today.
He added: “Some like to exploit politically the matter of new sanctions.”
The European Union announced on Friday that it would implement additional sanctions against Tehran that would go above the latest of three United Nations Security Council resolutions imposed on Iran.
Shortly after, a British senior official said on Friday that the United States, Britain, France and Germany are considering imposing new sanctions against Iran that would go beyond existing UN resolutions.
However, the head of the Majlis [parliament] National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, Alaeddin Boroujerdi, warned yesterday that new EU sanctions would “damage” the West and the “positive relationship” that has arisen during the nuclear negotiations.
The official IRNA news agency quotes Boroujerdi as saying: “Any measure by the European Union before the talks between Iran and the 5+1 group reach a conclusion is hasty and unacceptable.”
The 5+1 group – the U.S., UK, France, Germany, Russia and China – have led diplomatic efforts to resolve the longstanding dispute on Iran’s nuclear program. The Western powers fear Iran wants to develop nuclear weapons, while Iran maintains its program is peaceful and aimed only at generating electricity.
After Iran failed to respond favorably last weekend to an incentives proposal the six powers offered in return for suspension of uranium enrichment, the U.S. and Britain said on Wednesday that the powers had agreed to consider more UN sanctions against Iran. But Russia said there was no firm agreement.
Elham said that Iran’s government is ready to manage the country “under any conditions”, and that it has prepared plans to protect its interests and confront the sanctions.
According to a report yesterday in Sarmayeh
Newspaper, Iran has ordered the state-run National Iranian Oil Company [NIOC] to deposit oil revenues in selected banks in an effort to evade tightening sanctions.
The U.S. and EU have imposed restrictions on the financial activities of Iran’s largest banks, and the West is pushing Asian states to curb their dealings with Iran as well.
Sources: Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting [IRIB] News website, Sarmayeh Newspaper, IRNA in Persian
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