Iran Advocates Nuclear-Free Middle East: Salehi

Tehran, Jan 17, IRNA - Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said on Monday that the Islamic Republic of Iran is the proponent of the Middle East free from nuclear arms. Salehi said in a meeting with Finnish Under Secretary of State Amb Jaakko Laajavaabava that none of the Middle East countries possesses nuclear arms except the Zionist regime. 'For many years, Iran advocated the Middle East free from nuclear arms and proved its commitment to Non-Proliferation Treaty. In addition, Iran calls for the entire world to honor the Disarmament Treaty which obliges the nuclear weapons states to disarm,' Salehi said. He said that the Zionist regime has stockpiled nuclear warheads which have jeopardized peace and security of the Middle East and at the same time it has not signed the NPT and refused to allow inspection of its nuclear activities by the UN specialized news agency, IAEA. Salehi said that the upcoming International Conference on Disarmament in the Middle East must focus on Israeli stockpiles of warheads. Jaako Laajava, who acts as coordinator of the upcoming Conference on Disarmament in the Middle East due to be held in 2012, offered a report on arrangements made for the conference. The NPT review conference passed a resolution in 2010 calling for the Middle East to be free from weapons of mass destruction and decided to hold a Conference on Disarmament in the Middle East in 2012. United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon designated Finland in 2010 to host the International Conference on Disarmament in the Middle East in 2012./end