Iran has every right to develop nuclear energy: Pranab

Tehran, Nov 1 (PTI) Iran has every right to develop
nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, External Affairs
Minister Pranab Mukherjee has said but made it clear that this
has to be consistent with its international obligations and
commitments.

The minister also stated that all issues relating to
Iran's nuclear programme must be resolved through dialogue and
understanding and that confrontation must be avoided.

In an interview to Iranian news agency IRNA ahead of
his visit here, the minister felt that the International
Atomic Energy Agency (I.A.E.A.) must play a "central role" in
resolving all the outstanding issues relating to Tehran's
nuclear programme.

"We firmly are of the view that Iran has every right
to develop nuclear energy for peaceful purposes and in a
manner that is consistent with its international obligations
and commitments.

New Delhi has held that as a signatory to the
Non-Proliferation Treaty (N.P.T.), Iran is entitled to all
cooperation in its civilian nuclear programme. At the same
time, as a N.P.T. signatory Iran has to undertake all the
requisite obligations.

India has also stated in clear terms that it would
not like another weapon state emerging in its neighbourhood
as it could raise serious security concerns.

Western nations nurse strong suspicion over Tehran's
nuclear ambitions but undeterred by it, Iran has insisted that
it will not stop uranium enrichment even if it is guaranteed
supplies of nuclear fuel from abroad.


Asked about New Delhi's stand, Mukherjee said "the
Prime Minister has stated our position which is well known. We
have all along been saying that all issues relating to Iran's
nuclear programme must be resolved through dialogue and
understanding and that confrontation must be avoided.


"We believe that the I.A.E.A. must play a central
role in resolving all the outstanding issues," he said.

Mukherjee sought to allay apprehensions in Iran that
inking of the the Indo-US nuclear deal would have an adverse
fallout on New Delhi's ties with Tehran.

"India-Iran relations are important in themselves
because of our historic, civilizational as well as
contemporary ties," he said.

Noting that this was his third visit to Tehran in 20
months, Mukherjee said it underscored both the importance
which India gives to its relations with Iran as also the
substantive interests the two countries have in common.

The minister said regular exchange of high-level
visits have always been characteristic of India

Dispelling the impression that the bilateral ties
hinged on the successful execution of the USD 7.4 billion
Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline project, he said "India and
Iran have a broad-based relationship and no single issue
defines it in its entirety".

He said energy security was important to India as
also Iran as a major hydrocarbon exporting country. "The
energy aspect of our relationship is therefore also extremely
important".

Both countries, he said, were committed to the gas
pipeline project which was an "important part of our much
wider relationship". PTI VMN
PMR
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