Ahmadinejad: Iran No Intention Of Building Atomic Bomb

PARIS, Aug 3 (Reuters) - Iran has no intention of making an atomic bomb and its nuclear programme is for purely peaceful purposes, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said in a television interview on Wednesday.

"When we say we don't want to build an atomic bomb it means we really do not want to build an atomic bomb," Ahmadinejad, interviewed by the Euronews TV channel, said. "If somebody is looking for an atomic bomb nowadays he's mad."

The United States and its allies accuse Iran of trying to develop atom bombs under cover of its nuclear programme. Iran denies the allegation, saying it needs nuclear technology to generate electricity to meet its domestic demand.

France on July 19 condemned Iran's announcement that it was installing new uranium enrichment machines to speed progress in its nuclear programme, calling it a "clear provocation".

Ahmadinejad, whose remarks were translated into French by Euronews in the live interview monitored by Reuters, said that production of 20 percent-enriched uranium was intended primarily for medical use.

"Production of 20-percent enrichment production is for totally peaceful use," he said.

"It's for a reactor that produces active medicines and produces only medicines. It's just for medical and agricultural use."

The U.N. Security Council has imposed four sets of sanctions on Tehran since 2006 for refusing to freeze its enrichment programme, which can have both civilian and military purposes.

Foreign governments have offered Iran trade and other economic and political incentives if it halts its atomic activities. Two rounds of talks last December and January between Iran and the six powers seeking to resolve the dispute diplomatically -- the United States, Russia, France, Germany, Britain and China -- failed to make any headway.

(Reporting by Brian Love; Editing by Angus MacSwan)

Copyright 2011 Thomson Reuters. Click for Restrictions.

Comments

[spindok]

03:46 PM on 08/06/2011

Why the claim of medical isotopes?

Because production of the most widely used isotope Tc-99m needs highly enriched uranium by current commercial process. The US does not have a facility to make the Mo/Tc generator used in hospitals every day. We buy that, mostly from Chalk River in Canada. When they shut down, which has happened, things change when you show up in emergency with chest pain.

There are some newer ways to produce the isotope with lower enriched uranium. Either way higher enriched can be used for bombs or bone scans.

If Iranian nuclear plan was to produce medical isotope it would be much more transparent than what we see. Reading through the reports of the IAEA one cannot help but conclude that they are hiding something. All of the other medical isotope facilities are totally open to inspection and monitoring.

[Magic 62]

09:34 PM on 08/09/2011

It's not a claim spini. This particular reactor that is out of fuel now has been producing medical isotopes under the supervision of IAEA for over 10 years. Besides, Iran tried to buy the fuel but was refused, so, not only they are making it themselves now, but also it gives them good reasons to make their own fuel since it doesn't look like that nuclear fuel is not going to be available to Iran in the future.

[Flyingpigs]

03:10 PM on 08/06/2011

Didn't he also say that there was absolutely no Gays in Iran? Would you buy a used car from him? Would you give him your check book to maintain your finances? Would let him babysit your kids? So would you believe him? To believe him would be as naive as believing Dick Cheney.

[ArthroughpadNY]

11:17 PM on 08/05/2011

And when I say he is full I it, I really mean he is full of it.

[squiems]

05:26 PM on 08/05/2011

Just an interest in building launch vehicles and enriching uranium far past what is necessary for nuclear power (which is not needed anyway, as iran as the second largest proven oil reserves on earth). What a joke.

[Garvagh]

06:40 PM on 08/05/2011

squiems - - Bear in mind the US stupidly blocked the Iranian application to buy the 20% nuclear fuel. Thus the US virtually forced Iran to do the enriching you now see as dangerous.

[ArthroughpadNY]

11:46 PM on 08/05/2011

Look Garvagh, believe what you will, but I will guarantee that he does not speak for the Mullahs who have their own agenda.

[Magic 62]

09:59 PM on 08/05/2011

Iran tried to buy the 20% fuel for TRR that has been in operation since 1994 and is fully monitored and safeguarded. We refused to sell it to them, even when they offered to swap their LEU. I guess now the joke is on you since they have demonstrated that they can make the fuel for this reactor themselves.

[squiems]

11:45 AM on 08/08/2011

Lets see if they can do it without their centrifuges blowing up because of their inability to process out impurities.

[ArthroughpadNY]

07:53 PM on 08/04/2011

A simple question. Would you buy a used car from this guy?

[jabidi]

08:02 PM on 08/04/2011

Would you buy one from Obama?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Lrq9OAOsZ0

[ArthroughpadNY]

11:22 PM on 08/05/2011

Obama is not Imadinnerjacket. How can you compare the two?

[ArthroughpadNY]

07:48 PM on 08/04/2011

So explain this to me. Iran has built several SECRET nuclear bases that nobody is supposed to know about. They have built a nuclear facility under a mountain. Now I ask you, if the Iranians are so peaceful then why try to hide all sorts of bases underground? Is this the action of a government that has peaceful intentions? If they were so peaceful they would not be going full steam ahead to make weapons grade plutonium, would they? The US has detected several secret facilities that the Iranians are trying to keep hidden, why? Why aren't they more above board if their intentions were just for energy? So though they may try to BS everybody, the truth is in their actions. So what's going to be when they announce they have a nuke? By then it will be too late, and the idiots who stated they believed him will of course act surprised. You don't give a child a gun and you don't give fanatical Mullahs a nuke when their is no control over it. They have already stated Israel was a one nuke country.

[jabidi]

08:12 PM on 08/04/2011

Hasbara Propaganda.

[YafoDalet]

09:38 PM on 08/05/2011

Do you gave anything substantive to say?

[YafoDalet]

10:05 PM on 08/05/2011

*have

[Magic 62]

09:16 AM on 08/05/2011

"Iran has built several SECRET nuclear bases that nobody is supposed to know about."

lol ... Apparently you do. Why don't you send your information to IAEA and let the system handle it if you are so sure, since, unlike Israel, Iran allows inspectors.

[spindok]

10:56 AM on 08/05/2011

They have been notified. From the latest IAEA report which you were so kind as to link me to.

K. Summary
40. While the Agency continues to conduct verification activities under Iran’s Safeguards Agreement, Iran
is not implementing a number of its obligations, including: implementation of the provisions of its
Additional Protocol; implementation of the modified Code 3.1 of the Subsidiary Arrangements General Part
to its Safeguards Agreement; suspension of enrichment related activities; suspension of heavy water related
activities; and clarification of the remaining outstanding issues which give rise to concerns about possible
military dimensions to its nuclear programme.
41. While the Agency continues to verify the non-diversion of declared nuclear material at the nuclear
facilities and LOFs declared by Iran under its Safeguards Agreement, as Iran is not providing the necessary
cooperation, including by not implementing its Additional Protocol, the Agency is unable to provide credible
assurance about the absence of undeclared nuclear material and activities in Iran, and therefore to conclude
that all nuclear material in Iran is in peaceful activities.46

[ArthroughpadNY]

07:35 PM on 08/04/2011

Does an H bomb qualify as an A bomb? I wonder? As if the Shias aren't allowed to lie to their enemies. Its in there, isn't it?

[Magic 62]

09:20 AM on 08/05/2011

H bomb is an A bomb that is enhanced with Lithium to produce a secondary fusion reaction, and a Fatwa by the supreme leader of Iran is state law.

[ArthroughpadNY]

11:31 PM on 08/05/2011

Well technically the letters are different if push came to shove.

[ArthroughpadNY]

04:37 PM on 08/04/2011

A truckload of weapons were just intercepted in Turkey bound for Hizbollah in Lebanon. They were sent by Iran to their proxy army that is now in control of most of that country. So when people tell me that Iran has never started a war, their statement leaves a lot to be desired. Hizbollah is arming to the teeth for the next confrontation with Israel. This time I hope Israel takes off the gloves and puts and end to Hizbollah permanently.

[Magic 62]

04:59 PM on 08/04/2011

So what? US sends boat loads of weapons to its masters in Israel all the time.

[GohBokhor]

07:23 PM on 08/04/2011

Big deal. Speak when you aren't being hypocritical, which would make you silent.

[abuckley23]

04:14 PM on 08/04/2011

"we have no intention of creating an atomic bomb...however if we create one by accident then that's not really our fault, right?"

[Magic 62]

07:41 PM on 08/04/2011

Maybe they bought some from Ukraine, Russia or Kazakhstan back in the 90s and don't need to create any. Ever thought of that?

[ArthroughpadNY]

11:42 PM on 08/05/2011

I am sure our military does everyday. I would think they are more concerned about it than you.

[spindok]

03:15 PM on 08/04/2011

Ahmadinejad: "We are not trying to build an atomic bomb"

Netanyahu: "Virus? What virus? I can barely even use a computer."

Obama: "Oh that's not our Navy in your pond Mahmoud. Just that the fish are really hitting in the Gulf right now. I heard the guys on the Enterprise landed a huge Marlin yesterday"

[GohBokhor]

04:13 PM on 08/04/2011

Iran: no nukes and open declarations against them ("whoever makes a nuclear weapon is mad")

Israel: in possession of 300+ rogue nukes, asked by 188 nations, including the US, to sign the NPT and come clean, but refused. Used Depleted Uranium shells in Gaza and Lebanon 2006.

US: Still the only country to ever use nuclear arms on civilians, killed millions. Refuses to adhere to the major pillar of the NPT that asks that the US enter concrete steps towards nuclear arms reduction. Additionally, serves as a hypocritical puppet for Israel's Iranian bogeyman.

The IAEA continues to give Iran a clean bill of health.

[spindok]

05:21 PM on 08/04/2011

"The IAEA countinues to give Iran a clean bill of health"

See that is the problem. People don't really listen to what the doctor is saying. They just hear what they want to hear.

This doesn't sound too healthy:

In unusually blunt language, an International Atomic Energy Agency report for the first time suggested Iran was actively pursuing nuclear weapons capability, throwing independent weight behind similar Western suspicions.

The IAEA seemed to be cautiously going public with concerns arising from a classified agency analysis leaked in part last year which concluded that Iran has already honed explosives expertise relevant to a workable nuclear weapon.

The report also confirmed Iran had produced its first small batch of uranium enriched to a higher purity -- 20 percent.

Both developments will intensify pressure on Iran to prove it is not covertly bent on "weaponizing" enrichment by allowing unfettered access for IAEA inspectors and investigators, something it rejects in protest at U.N. sanctions.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2010/02/18/us-nuclear-iran-iaea-idUSTRE61H4EH20100218

[CDGreene]

02:08 PM on 08/04/2011

Israel, a country with over 250 nuclear weapons, has never signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, and does not allow IAEA inspection of their nuclear facilities. Iran, a country with 0 nuclear weapons, has signed the Non-Proliferation Treaty, and earlier this year, invited envoys of world powers and EU nations to inspect its nuclear facilities. No one questions Israel's nuclear program. There is obviously a blatant double standard.

[GohBokhor]

07:30 PM on 08/04/2011

One correction, over 189 countries, including the US, do question Israel's nuclear program and at the last NPT conference they unanimously voted to pass a resolution mandating that Israel enter the NPT and come clean. The US, of course after pressure from Israel's lobby on America's politicians, backtracked despite being a signatory.
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3895605,00.html

The IAEA also asked Israel to allow inspections, but Israel refused: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3778884,00.html

Israel used depleted uranium in Gaza and Lebanon 2006. Its possession of nuclear arms is criminal and unauthorized by the UN International Inspection Agency, the IAEA.

[ArthroughpadNY]

07:52 PM on 08/04/2011

Has Israel ever threatened its neighbors? BTW the US uses depleted uranium munitions too, so how come no comment about the US?

[wonderYrednow]

02:13 PM on 08/06/2011

Who's zooming who?

When I carry a weapon, I don't threaten, when Imanutjob carries a pineapple, I feel kinda threatened, don't you ??

[Abdullahiedward]

11:09 AM on 08/07/2011

No! Rather I feel that your statement is a sign of your having been successfully brainwashed.

[faye moghtader]

01:43 PM on 08/04/2011

can some one please tell me when was the last time iran invated a country,i do not care much about a reason.where are the iranian troops?let just look us here,we went to iraq to liberate them,we are in afghanestan,in lybia,where else ....

[Magic 62]

02:06 PM on 08/04/2011

Nader Shah invaded India in 1732. That was the last time Iran invaded anyone.

US military is also involved in operations in Yemen, Pakistan and Somalia. Perhaps a few other places.

[faye moghtader]

03:06 PM on 08/04/2011

THANK YOU i rest my case,so a inflamatory rhetoric does not mean much and is not a reason to preasure iran and only just iran,about his nuclear ambitions.of course i would love to see a free nuclear middle east.

[jabidi]

08:15 PM on 08/04/2011

Where else??

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article28747.htm

[zenju2]

01:36 PM on 08/04/2011

Kinda like Castro's thing about being "just agrarian reformers."

[saphielssapphire]

01:24 PM on 08/04/2011

This reminds me of that Stephen King movie. All the aliens are repeatedly saying, "We come in peace," as they are slaughtering people. Talk is cheap, especially coming from Iran.

[GohBokhor]

01:48 PM on 08/04/2011

Who is doing the slaughtering in the Middle East? Wake up please.

[saphielssapphire]

02:19 PM on 08/04/2011

The Middle Easterners against themselves!

[BcemXAHA]

02:31 PM on 08/04/2011

Those who are equipping and supplying weapons to the foot soldiers, Iran, supplying weaponry and financing Hizbollah is a good example.

[capt ayhab]

03:48 PM on 08/04/2011

62 years of history of that little country in the ME with the help of bigger brother  = 62 years of war.

[Pharcee]

04:28 PM on 08/04/2011

capt, why bring silly little things like facts to the table.....as you see, saphielssapphire knows nothing of facts.

[HumanityEqualsLaw]

12:47 PM on 08/04/2011

Mr.A. wants to build nuclear weapons "for peaceful use", and I understand why they would but I also understand why they shouldn´t be allowed to.

[Garvagh]

01:13 PM on 08/04/2011

Humanity - - Iran opposes nukes. It is a moral issue.

[Magic 62]

02:09 PM on 08/04/2011

Iran opposes all WMD mainly because of casualties of Iraqi chemical attacks. Incidentally, US was not only a culprit in Iraq obtaining chemical weapons but also vetoed Iran's motion to condemn Saddam for using them during Iran/Iraq war.

[capt ayhab]

03:49 PM on 08/04/2011

Iran does not wish for nuclear weapons and even if she did, the concept would be called Mutual Destruction Theory.