West should discuss Iran’s nuclear issue in a normalized situation: ex-French PM

TEHRAN, May 14 (MNA) -- Former French prime minister Michel Rocard said that Western officials should address the dispute over Iran’s nuclear program in a normalized situation. Rocard, who served as prime minister from 1988 to 1991, made the remarks during a speech on the economic crisis in the eurozone at the School of International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Tehran on Sunday. “Given the crisis in Western countries, (Iran’s) nuclear issue is being addressed in a nervous situation instead of being dealt with in a normalized situation,” Rocard, who is a member of the Socialist Party, said. All sides engaged in the issue are experiencing a “difficult situation”, he stated, adding, “Any nervous and provocative action can be dangerous.” Rocard noted, “The rulers of the global system are not prepared for a new crisis.” He also mentioned the fatwa (religious edict) that Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has issued declaring that the production, stockpiling, and use of nuclear weapons are all haram (prohibited in Islam). The fact that Iran has joined the world’s nuclear club is a positive point, but developing nuclear technology for military purposes is “dangerous” and reliable inspection mechanisms should be implemented to help build confidence, Rocard stated.