ID :
104245
Wed, 02/03/2010 - 00:57
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/104245
The shortlink copeid
Seized weapons plane in Thailand not heading for Iran: official
TEHRAN, Feb. 2 (MNA) – Tehran on Tuesday dismissed reports that an airplane, which was seized on December 11 in Thailand for smuggling weapons, was heading for Iran.
“There was no link between this airplane and Iran,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast told a weekly press briefing.
Mehmanparast added that even Thai officials made no claim that that plane was flying to Iran.
Thai authorities said they seized more than 35 tons of arms from a cargo plane they said had come from North Korea, and arrested its five crew members after the aircraft made an emergency landing at a Bangkok airport in December.
Iran does not need any military weapons as the country has made significant progress in building modern weapons, Mehmanparast explained.
He described such reports as baseless, saying Tehran believes they are part of the enemy’s soft war against the Islamic Republic.
Iran has inalienable right to enrich uranium to 20 percent
Mehmanparast said it is Iran’s fundamental right to enrich uranium to a purity of 20 percent to run its research reactor that produces medical isotopes.
He added, “The 20 percent (nuclear) fuel has nothing to do with non-peaceful purposes.”
He expressed hope that Iran’s need to 20 percent enriched fuel to be meet through a “realistic” and “constructive” approach.
The spokesman also said that Iran’s proposal for a nuclear fuel exchange is still on table.
Iran urges 5+1 to adopt realistic approach
Mehmanparast said the 5+1 group - the U.S., Britain, China, France, Russia and Germany - should adopt a realistic approach toward Iran’s nuclear program.
Adopting a realistic approach will be the only way to break the deadlock facing the 5+1 countries.
China’s refusal to back the U.S. push for new sanctions against Iran has angered Washington.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton’s tone on Friday indicated a growing conflict with China as she warned China would face international pressure and increasing isolation if it did not join other world powers in imposing new sanctions against Iran.
“There was no link between this airplane and Iran,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast told a weekly press briefing.
Mehmanparast added that even Thai officials made no claim that that plane was flying to Iran.
Thai authorities said they seized more than 35 tons of arms from a cargo plane they said had come from North Korea, and arrested its five crew members after the aircraft made an emergency landing at a Bangkok airport in December.
Iran does not need any military weapons as the country has made significant progress in building modern weapons, Mehmanparast explained.
He described such reports as baseless, saying Tehran believes they are part of the enemy’s soft war against the Islamic Republic.
Iran has inalienable right to enrich uranium to 20 percent
Mehmanparast said it is Iran’s fundamental right to enrich uranium to a purity of 20 percent to run its research reactor that produces medical isotopes.
He added, “The 20 percent (nuclear) fuel has nothing to do with non-peaceful purposes.”
He expressed hope that Iran’s need to 20 percent enriched fuel to be meet through a “realistic” and “constructive” approach.
The spokesman also said that Iran’s proposal for a nuclear fuel exchange is still on table.
Iran urges 5+1 to adopt realistic approach
Mehmanparast said the 5+1 group - the U.S., Britain, China, France, Russia and Germany - should adopt a realistic approach toward Iran’s nuclear program.
Adopting a realistic approach will be the only way to break the deadlock facing the 5+1 countries.
China’s refusal to back the U.S. push for new sanctions against Iran has angered Washington.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton’s tone on Friday indicated a growing conflict with China as she warned China would face international pressure and increasing isolation if it did not join other world powers in imposing new sanctions against Iran.
