Iranian envoy to Japan says UN sanctions counterproductive
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New Iranian Ambassador to Japan Seyyed Abbas Araghchi on Wednesday criticized UN Security Council sanctions against his country as being “counterproductive” and “not fair,” and called on Japan to contribute to resolving the nuclear dispute by urging the Group of Eight powers to realize disarmament on their part.
“We are committed to our international obligations and we will remain committed, but we are not ready to give up our legitimate right for using nuclear energy for peaceful purposes,” the envoy said in an interview with Kyodo News and emphasized that confidence-building must be a “two-way road.”
Araghchi, a former deputy foreign minister and known as a close aide to Foreign Minister Manuchehr Mottaki, said Japan has an important role to play, given its ally status with the United States and position as this year’s G-8 president.
“Japan, which has a good understanding of the Middle East region, can help by recommending Americans to follow wisdom,” he said, adding that those in the United States are “masters of miscalculations.”
The ambassador reiterated Tehran’s claim that it would “never go for non-peaceful” nuclear use while also stressing that Iran will not suspend its nuclear programme any more after the “fruitless experience” of cooperation and failed negotiations.
He also indicated that Iran will continue vying for access to know-how of nuclear energy and the technology of producing fuel for future nuclear power plants.
“We think some countries are trying to deprive others from achieving that because they want to monopolize the production of fuel for nuclear powered plants for themselves,” Araghchi said. “But we think that this is our absolute right, our inalienable right, and we are not ready to give up that right.”
While assuring that Iran will continue to work with the International Atomic Energy Agency, the ambassador criticized the UN Security Council’s resolution of a third set of sanctions on Iran, adopted last week.
“I don’t think that we deserve a resolution after such a good cooperation with the agency (IAEA),” he argued. “The resolutions are not a solution to this question…but only add to the problem and they are counterproductive.”
Japanese Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura, who met Araghchi on March 4 soon after the UN resolution was adopted, told him that Iran should first win international trust by complying with the resolution before exercising its right to peaceful use of nuclear energy. The ambassador said he responded by saying confidence needs to be from both sides.
“We think that the story is all about to deprive Iran from its rights. If it’s a matter of confidence-building, we have already paid our share,” Araghchi said.
The sanctions came despite the US National Intelligence Estimate last December that said Iran has stopped its nuclear weapons programme after 2003.
Araghchi also cited the Feb. 22 report by IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei as proof that Iran has not had a nuclear weapons programme even before 2003 and that Iran’s record is clean.
Describing the resolutions as being illegal, unjust and illogical, the envoy said, “If they have concerns for the future, let’s work together to see how we can address those concerns. But they are sanctioning Iran in the Security Council for a possible action in the future. This is not fair.”
With the Iranian nuclear issue expected to be a discussion topic at the G-8 summit Japan will host in July, Araghchi said Japan should press for nonproliferation and disarmament among the major powers, and for guarantee that all nations committed to the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty, like Iran, should enjoy access to peaceful use of nuclear energy.
“If we want a more peaceful world, we should ask big powers to start disarmament…and we should disarm those regimes who have nuclear warheads in their hands,” he said.
Aside from the nuclear issue, Araghchi said bilateral relations with Japan are good on the whole. He also reiterated that Tehran has expedited its efforts to secure the release of a Japanese university student kidnapped last October in Iran.
While confirming that 23-year-old Satoshi Nakamura is still safe, the ambassador said the process remains “very difficult” and “very time-consuming” as the captors, a drug-smuggling group, have taken him to a “third country.”
Araghchi did not reveal which country it was but said both Tehran and Tokyo are working together with that nation for a safe release. There is strong speculation that Nakamura has been taken to Pakistan.
The ambassador said that Tehran is able to check on Nakamura’s safety “almost on a daily basis” through influential tribal leaders and that Nakamura has been able to call his family on the average of about once a month. Araghchi urged that Nakamura, as well as his family and friends, be patient.
Filed by Nicole Cargill under Energy and Nuclear Safety, Transnational Crime, Arms Control, Proliferation and WMD