Iran's President Mohammad Khatami said Wednesday he had a number of complaints against the chief of the UN's nuclear watchdog Mohamed ElBaradei over his report listing violations by Iran's nuclear program.
Khatami said Tehran's future cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency IAEA depended on the outcome of the IAEA's November 20 board meeting which could declare Iran in breach of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
"In the report the important point was that there is no proof Iran is seeking to build the atomic bomb. Overall, there are positive points and there are points that did not need to have been mentioned," Khatami told reporters.
"We have some complaints against Mr. ElBaradei," he added, asserting that Iran's failures had been in the past and that "there was no need to repeat them."
"He should have taken into account other considerations. It is natural that during the past 20 years of nuclear activities that there have been failures, but this does not signify a violation of the NPT," he added.
"We will continue our cooperation with the agency and we are waiting for the board of directors meeting. If their attitude is political, we reserve the right to change our attitude," Khatami said, although he added that "I am optimistic."
While Khatami acknowledged that Iran's nuclear activities have been "very varied", he asserted that the production of plutonium had been for medical purposes and "totally peaceful".
And Iran's concealment, he argued, was because of American efforts "to stop our activities and impose sanctions". (Albawaba.com)
© 2003 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
