‘Amano’s remarks inconsistent with realities of Iran’s nuclear program’

TEHRAN,April 10(MNA) – Iran said on Tuesday that the latest remarks of the head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog about Tehran’s nuclear activities were not based on the realities on the ground. According to the Washington Post, International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Yukiya Amano said on Monday that his agency cannot rule out the possibility that Iran was actively seeking nuclear weapons technology. Speaking at the annual Carnegie International Nuclear Policy Conference in Washington, Amano said, “We have credible information that Iran continued its activities beyond 2003.” Officially, “we do not know” whether the research remains active, he said. In response to Amano’s comments, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said, “It seems Amano’s remarks are not consistent with the realities of our country’s peaceful activities.” “No documented report showing Iran’s diversion from peaceful nuclear activities has ever been presented, and the statement that it (the nuclear program) may be diverted toward non-peaceful purposes in the future has no place within a logical framework and can only be interpreted within the framework of soft warfare,” Mehmanparast told his regular press conference. Iraq’s inspection of Iranian aircraft unacceptable Mehmanparast also replied to a question about the fact that Iraq on Monday searched an Iranian aircraft bound for Syria but found only medical equipment onboard, in the first inspection since Washington urged Baghdad last month to halt Iranian flights allegedly carrying arms to Syria. “We do not regard this move as acceptable and have an objection to it, and we will convey our protest through different channels and emphasize that the commotion being created by the United States, the Zionist regime, and certain regional countries… falls within the Iranophobia project” and is aimed at turning countries in the region against each other. Iran hopes for resumption of commercial flights with Egypt Commenting on Eygpt’s decision to suspend commercial flights from Iran until mid-June after first such flight in 34 years provoked protests from a number of Egyptian Salafist, the Iranian spokesman expressed hope that the obstacles in the way of the implementation of the program would be removed. The Islamic Republic of Iran cut diplomatic ties with Egypt in 1980 after the Islamic Revolution of 1979 because Egypt signed a peace treaty with Israel and offered asylum to former Iranian dictator Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. Relations between the two countries began to thaw after the election of Morsi, who assumed office on June 30, 2012. However, full diplomatic relations between the two countries have not yet been restored.