Sunday, February 18, 2007

MP says Switzerland plans to guarantee enrichment in Iran

Tehran, Feb 17, IRNA

Iran-MP-Nuclear

A Majlis deputy said here Saturday that a plan has been presented by Switzerland to settle the dispute between the West and Iran over the latter's peaceful nuclear activities and guarantee enrichment inside Iranian territory.

First Deputy of Majlis' National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Mohammad-Nabi Roudaki made the disclosure while speaking to IRNA.

Asked to comment on the Swiss proposal, he said that "the plan was raised during a meeting between Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Secretary Ali Larijani with Swiss officials last week."
"It will guarantee uranium enrichment inside Iranian territory under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) while allowing resumption of talks as a first step to solving the dispute over Iran's nuclear activities," he said.

According to the Swiss plan, the Islamic Republic of Iran will be allowed to enrich uranium at a limited or low-scale rate and under IAEA surveillance.

The MP said that the plan was still being studied by the SNSC.

"The plan was offered to Iran after Iranian diplomacy gained international support through a recent visit by the Supreme Leader's Advisor for International Affairs Ali-Akbar Velayati to Moscow and Larijani's participation in the 43rd Conference on Security Policy in Munich, Germany.

"The offer also coincided with the Iranian nation's massive rallies on February 11 (Bahman 22) marking the 28th anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Revolution and President Ahmadinejad's promise at Tehran's Azadi Square to announce a major achievement in its nuclear program before the end of the current Iranian year and other remarkable achievements in the scientific field.

The MP from southern Shiraz city added: "They (the US and its allies) have now come to realize that the Iranian nation is determined to resist all obstacles and to assert its legal nuclear right." He noted that US President George W Bush has reiterated that direct talks with Iran is not on the US agenda and rumors of such talks are a media propaganda.

He said "Russia, China and India, three countries which exercise great influence in international affairs, have also understood that the US adopts a policy of unilateralism in the world and intends to pit Russia against China in international affairs." Pointing to a joint front set up by Russia, China and India, Roudaki said Russian President Vladimir Putin, in his address to the Munich security conference, stressed that his country would not tolerate US unilateralism.

He stressed the importance of the Iranian nation reinforcing its vigilance in order to confront adverse international developments.

"Iranian officials should exercise reason and carefully study the Switzerland plan," he said.

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