Pakistani Analyst Backs Iran Peaceful N-program

Islamabad, June 10, IRNA – A Pakistani analyst on saturday said that Iran is pursuing a peaceful nuclear program and enrichment of uranium to 20 percent is their right. Speaking to IRNAو Shahidur Rehman, senior research fellow at South Asian Strategic Stability Institute (SASSI) said that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is trying to politicize the issue of Iran’s peaceful nuclear program. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in his visit to China has said that Iran’s position on its nuclear program is very clear which is being carried out under the safeguards of the IAEA. Shahidur Rehman, expressing his views said that Director General of the IAEA, Yukiya Amano has taken a pro-American position on Iran’s peaceful nuclear program. “He must not take biased position on Iran,” advised the analyst. He was of the opinion that gulf between Iran and West has to be bridged through talks. The researcher said that a negative propaganda campaign is going on against the nuclear program of Iran. Shahidur Rehman, agreed with the statement of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad that western states don’t want Iran to enrich uranium to 20 percent. The analyst said that Iran has repeatedly clarified that it is not after nuclear weapons and that enriched uranium will be used for Tehran Research Reactor for medical treatment. He said Iran cannot be stopped from acquiring nuclear technology because the Islamic Republic has plenty of recourses and their government is committed to develop a peaceful nuclear program. The researcher said that President Ahmadinejad has rightly said that western conspiracies against Iran will fail. He welcomed the resumption of talks between Iran and G5+1, adding that issues can only be resolved through talks. Washington and its western allies accuse Iran of trying to develop nuclear weapons under the cover of a civilian nuclear program, while they have never presented any corroborative evidence to substantiate their allegations. Iran denies the charges and insists that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only. Tehran stresses that the country has always pursued a civilian path to provide power to the growing number of Iranian population. Shahidur Rehman is a senior journalist and security analyst. He has also authored a book about Pakistan’s nuclear program “Long Road to Chaghi’ in 1999./end