Iran hails IAEA report

24/02/2008| IslamWeb

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Iranian president, has called on the US and its allies to "apologize" to Iran for accusing it of seeking nuclear weapons, a day after the UN nuclear watchdog released its latest report on Iran's atomic program.

Ahmadinejad said on Saturday the report by the International Atomic Energy Agency(IAEA) vindicated Iran and warned that Tehran would take unspecified "decisive reciprocal measures" against any country that imposed additional sanctions against Iran.

The IAEA report said Iran was being more transparent about its nuclear program and many of its past nuclear issues have been resolved but was not doing enough to clear up all suspicions.

'Victory over West'

Ahmadinejad described the UN watchdog report as a "victory over the West" which accuses Tehran of seeking nuclear weapons. 

"The best way for them [the US and its allies] to compensate for their mistakes ... [is] to apologize and pay compensation," Ahmadinejad said in a televised address to the nation.

"If they continue [to pursue sanctions], we have definitely drawn up reciprocal measures," he said, without elaborating.

The five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany have agreed on a draft resolution for a third round of sanctions against Iran for its refusal to suspend uranium enrichment, a process that can produce nuclear fuel for a reactor or fissile material for a weapon.

Condoleezza Rice, the US secretary of state, said on Friday that the IAEA report strengthened the push for additional sanctions because it said Tehran failed to co-operate fully with investigators and left unanswered crucial questions about its nuclear past.

PHOTO CAPTION

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Iranian president