Iran: Nuclear Weapons Production Is A 'Great Sin'

By Caroline Copley

GENEVA, Feb 28 (Reuters) - Iran, facing growing international pressure over its nuclear programme, called for more talks with the U.N. nuclear watchdog on Tuesday and condemned production of atomic weapons as a "great sin".

Iran says its nuclear programme is peaceful but negotiations with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have stalled and Western powers have grown increasingly concerned over the possible military dimensions of Tehran's atomic work.

Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi, in a speech to the U.N.-sponsored Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, said he expected talks to continue and that he was optimistic they would proceed in the right direction.

"I would like to re-emphasise that we do not see any glory, pride or power in the nuclear weapons, quite the opposite based on the religious decree issued by our supreme leader, the production, possession, use or threat of use of nuclear weapons, are illegitimate, futile, harmful, dangerous and prohibited as a great sin," he said.

However many in the Western camp were sceptical, with the IAEA saying no further talks were scheduled, given what Western diplomats have described as Iran's unwillingness to address allegations of military nuclear research.

A report by the IAEA last week said Iran was significantly stepping up its uranium enrichment, a finding that sent oil prices higher on fears tensions between Tehran and the West could escalate into military conflict.

Israel has threatened to launch strikes to prevent Iran getting the bomb, saying Tehran's continued technological progress means it could soon pass into a "zone of immunity".

In high-level meetings between the IAEA and Iran, held in Tehran in January and February, Iranian officials stuck to a refusal to address intelligence reports about covert research relevant to developing nuclear weapons, Western diplomats say.

Salehi, addressing reporters in Geneva, said Iran expected the "dialogue that has started" with the IAEA would continue.

"There was some disagreement on drafting an initial framework that would set the ground for a new roadmap as how to proceed," Salehi said. "We are optimistic that upcoming meetings...will be proceeding hopefully in the right direction."


"FAILURE TO COMPLY"

Laura Kennedy, U.S. ambassador to the Conference on Disarmament, rejected Salehi's comments, saying they stood in "stark contrast to Iran's failure to comply with its international obligations" regarding its nuclear programme.

"Indeed, Iran has moved in the opposite direction by expanding its capacity to enrich uranium to nearly 20 percent and continues to move forward with proscribed enrichment and heavy-water related activities, all in violation of multiple U.N. Security Council resolutions," Kennedy told the talks.

Kennedy said that Iran's "persistent stonewalling" of the IAEA's investigation into possible military dimensions to its nuclear programme was "very troubling".

In Vienna, where the IAEA is based, one envoy said the lack of progress in getting Tehran to start responding to the suspicions was a clear indication that it is "not serious at all in entering any meaningful negotiation".

Another Vienna-based official familiar with the issue said the IAEA team had asked for Iran's initial position on issues raised by the U.N. agency in a detailed November report that pointed to a possible covert nuclear weapons agenda in Iran.

There were sixty-five paragraphs in the IAEA's report and the Iranian side responded with "sixty-five no's," the official said, making clear that Iran had rejected all information indicating illicit attempts to design a nuclear bomb.

In Geneva, Salehi accused the West of double standards for backing Iran's arch-enemy Israel, the only Middle East state outside the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and believed to be have the only nuclear arsenal in the region.

"We have clearly stated time and time again there are two alternatives in dealing with the Iranian peaceful nuclear programme. One way is engagement, cooperation and interaction. The other is confrontation and conflict," Salehi said.

"Iran is confident of the peaceful nature of its programme and has always insisted on the first alternative. When it comes to our relevant rights and obligations, our consistent position is that Iran does not seek confrontation, nor does it want anything beyond its inalienable, legitimate rights." (Additional reporting by Vincent Fribault and Stephanie Nebehay in Geneva and Fredrik Dahl in Vienna; Editing by Maria Golovnina)

Comments

[redwine1000]

11:48 AM on 03/01/2012

Iran's supreme leader is the supreme power in Iran. His order is considered equal to the order of god. That is why Iran is called Theocorcy. Neither the president nor the Iranian congress could change what he orders.

So When he says producing Nuclear weapons is a sin then that is what it makes the law. An obvious evidence that Iran is not seeking nuclear weapons. And if the media and politicians ignore this and still continue with their lies about nuclear ambitions od Iran (which obviuolsy they will) shows they are only looking for some excuse to have another war in middle east.
What was the whole point of invading Iraq and Afghanistan without finally going for the big prize, Iran?

[mtfer032359]

11:25 AM on 03/01/2012

"I would like to re-emphasise that we do not see any glory, pride or power in the nuclear weapons, quite the opposite based on the religious decree issued by our supreme leader, the production, possession, use or threat of use of nuclear weapons, are illegitimate, futile, harmful, dangerous and prohibited as a great sin,"
they do seem to be saying one thing and doing another. who's in charge over there anyway? and, i did not know israel was outside the nuclear proliferation treaty. now THAT thought is as scary as iran getting the bomb given their complete lack of self control. why does it seem this entire area has a complete lack of self control? their passions will be the death of them and everyone else. obama really needs to be crystal clear with israel and say, "we will not support another war in the middle east, if you start it, you finish it"

[max pain]

07:23 AM on 03/01/2012

world war 3 to a theater near you?

[Joseph LeCompte]

06:31 AM on 03/01/2012

Iran can Close the Straights of Hormez for about 5 seconds. The 5 th fleet and all the land bases aircraft will remove all Iranian military pieces with ease. The nukes program must be stopped but scaring people and markets over the straights is nonsense.

[mtfer032359]

11:28 AM on 03/01/2012

the problem is really not the iranian navy, but all the mines they could drop into the str8ts. that could slow up traffic for a very long time.

[miz-ribble]

10:04 PM on 02/29/2012

This is what war does to our soldiers........It's heartbreaking...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dr5dq84t8GM

[getoffmedz]

08:43 PM on 02/29/2012

The massive amount of h8 and ignorance displayed on this topic is an embarrassment.

[Vlad Roudenko]

10:41 PM on 02/29/2012

I think some of them need to get off their meds, and quickly :)

[rrzeus26]

06:55 PM on 02/29/2012

The Syrian Govt is doing a fine job. And blowing up innocent people is a great sin also. This should be in the comedy section.

[sakovkt]

06:23 PM on 02/29/2012

Islam has a well developed set of rules about liing:

http://www.meforum.org/2538/taqiyya-islam-rules-of-war

That's how Arafat "ruined" Bill Clinton and is how Obama is being "ruined".

The way this going, a few "ruins" is all that'll be left.

[quackmonster]

06:12 PM on 02/29/2012

Their culture is a great sin.

[getoffmedz]

08:41 PM on 02/29/2012

Do you actually know an Iranian?

[muck-raker]

06:11 PM on 02/29/2012

Israeli leaders are not irrational. . A scenario where the US attacks Iran can only improve their relative political position vis-à-vis Iran. And with little perceived risk to themselves.

The most popular refrain in Israel (and Congress) today is that Iran poses an existential threat to the small Jewish-majority state. That is because Iran is apparently pursuing nuclear weapon. Once that supposed nuclear weapon has been manufactured, Iranian mullahs will order that it be employed and await their own annihilation in rapturous, convulsive ecstasy (Israel possesses about 200 nuclear weapons).

In reality, the Israelis understand that Iran will not pursue anyone's eradication - their more honest leaders say so regularly. The two countries are engaged inkind of power struggle that has been the preserve of insurgent powers for centuries now. The Israelis possess a qualitative military advantage which Iranians seek to neutralise. One very effective way of doing so has been to nurture Lebanese Hezbollah. Another way of shrinking the Israeli advantage is by pursuing nuclear weapons.

it is far from clear that Iranians are pursuing nuclear weapon. Their nuclear enrichment programme is legal under terms of Nuclear Non-Proliferation treaty, which they have signed and ratified.

Netanyahu made a two-fold calculation when he ordered Ahmadi-Roshan's murder. First, Iranians may react - or overreact - to the assassination. That would provide the US and the Israelis with the kind of flimsy political cover they require to attack.
more: http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2012/01/201212194348390751.html

[Judean65]

10:58 PM on 02/29/2012

I never know what to believe when it comes to epionage but the assassination of Ahmadi-Roshan, hopefully slowed down the Iranian nuclear program..but it has been Iran, that wanted Israel to attack it first.. by baiting it with threatening rhetoric, promoting its nuclear program, missile tests,Hezbollah rocket attacks and (failed) assassinations. In order to rally its people, marginalize the Peoples party/other democratic groups and keep the "Islamic Revolution" going. They are behaving EXACTLY like the French, Russians and Chinese after their revolutions, by exporting it. But UNLIKE the other groups Iran is a theocracy AND it wants atomic bombs in order to threaten, bully, spread its influence and perhaps in the final analysis, actually USE IT in some form. Unacceptable.

[mtfer032359]

11:40 AM on 03/01/2012

your most likely right in that iran wants to be attacked first. it would give them and most of the arab world the excuse they need for jihad.

[sakovkt]

05:43 PM on 02/29/2012

Oppenheimer also felt that atomic weapons were a great sin.

[mtfer032359]

11:37 AM on 03/01/2012

"now have i become death, the destroyer of worlds"

[YoYoMaster]

05:42 PM on 02/29/2012

A much better strategy is to let sinners make nukes and give you some for free, along with a detonation button. Accepting nukes for free is not a sin, even by Iran's standard.

[atomic-lies]

03:53 PM on 02/29/2012

I have no respect for anything Iran says or does. They stone women to death in a manner that is so shockingly horrible and hang young men suspected of being gay. They would have no qualms about lying and pursuing nuclear weapons. They are nothing BUT great sin.

[Llib Noswad]

03:10 PM on 02/29/2012

Well, I guess that we know now, Iran is a great sinner.

[Rexter]

03:00 PM on 02/29/2012

They aren't trying to build nuclear weapons, nor did Iraq have any WMD's to be found. The Israelis', their lap dogs the american media, and the defense industries and their pocketed politicians have been stirring this thing up to get us involved in another war. A war that has nothing to do with the U.S. If the Israeli's want to duke it out with Iran, let them have at it, it is none of our affair.

Israel is our ally if they're attacked. If they attack someone else, they're on their own. This needs to be made perfectly clear to them. Our spineless leaders need to make that point very clear in Tel Aviv.

[rsticks18]

03:31 PM on 02/29/2012

NOT what the IAEA says --not even close

[exomike]

04:39 PM on 02/29/2012

Obviously, for you new sources of intelligence and/or a reading comprehension course would be in order. And, turn of that damned TV!

[Judean65]

11:31 PM on 02/29/2012

First of all the capital of Israel is Jerusalem. Israel has been attacked 5 times and never asked for US soldiers and I hope it never will. What Israel wants from the US is to pressure Iran to stop...sanctions that work! Technology shared and developed jointly, is US/Israeli strategic policy..how do you KNOW Iran is not trying to build a nuclear bomb? WMD using biological elements, for example can fit in one truck. so how do you know they weren't driven out of Iraq as the Americans drove in? Or are still there? Or now the property of Syria? You don't speak or read Arabic, Hebrew or Farsi and have never been to this area. Your opinions are as skewed as your grammar. If you don't understand the facts, your conclusions are valueless.