Iranian ambassador criticizes postponement of Mideast nuclear talks

TEHRAN,Dec.8(MNA) – During an extraordinary meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement in Vienna on Wednesday the Iranian ambassador to the international organizations based in the Austrian capital criticized the U.S. decision to put off talks on the establishment of a Middle East zone free of weapons of mass destruction. Iran assumed the rotating presidency of NAM for a three-year term on August 30. Ambassador Ali Asghar Soltanieh said that the Zionist regime opposed the conference because of the fact that it is not a signatory to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and the United States wanted the conference to be delayed because it is a supporter of Israel. The U.S. said on November 23 that the conference on creating a zone free of weapons of mass destruction, which was scheduled to be held in mid-December, would not take place and did not make it clear when or whether it would be held. The United States, Britain, and Russia are co-sponsors of the meeting.