Visiting Iranian Interior Minister Mostafa Pour Mohammadi said
on Thursday that Iran is willing to receive international
inspections on its nuclear activities and will continuously conduct
nuclear programs for peaceful purposes only.
"We will conduct nuclear activities legally abiding by a series
of international laws and regulations. We are willing to enhance
cooperation with relevant international organizations and we
welcome full inspections on our nuclear activities," Pour Mohammadi
said during an interview with Xinhua on late Thursday.
"We consider it is beneficial to us as well to cooperate with
international community," Pour Mohammadi said through
interpreter.
As special envoy of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Pour
Mohammadi arrived in Beijing on Thursday for a two-day visit,
during which he is scheduled to meet and talk with Chinese foreign
minister Yang Jiechi and State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan on Friday, respectively.
Pour Mohammadi's visit would focus on his nation's nuclear
program, regional and international issues as well as enlarging
cooperation with China in various fields, according to sources from
the Iran embassy to China.
The Iranian envoy's China trip was following a meeting of the
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) governing board in Vienna
to discuss a deal reached last month between Iran and the UN
nuclear watchdog that demands Iran answer outstanding questions
about its nuclear program.
The report also says Iran has not halted uranium enrichment.
"I want to reiterate our position that we develop nuclear
program only for peaceful purpose and that is our legal rights,"
Pour Mohammadi said.
The United States and other Western countries have accused Iran
of trying to develop atomic weapons under a civilian cover, but
Iran denies such accusation, saying it just wants to generate
electricity.
The US States Department said on Wednesday that it is working
with other members of the UN Security Council as well as Germany to
pass a new resolution on Iran with more sanctions.
"Sanctions are not the most effective measures to solve
problems," Pour Mohammadi told Xinhua.
A couple of UN Security Council resolutions have been passed to
punish Iran for its defiance on its nuclear issue.
(Xinhua News Agency September 14, 2007)
