German disarmament expert rips West's futile Iran sanction policy

Berlin, April 22, IRNA -- A German disarmament expert here Wednesday lambasted the useless western sanction policy towards Iran over its nuclear program.

Speaking to IRNA, Regina Hagen of the International Network of Engineers and Scientists Against Proliferation (INESAP) stressed the western sanction strategy vis-a-vis Tehran will "not yield the desired results."

She urged the West make an "attractive offer" to Iran to negotiate over its nuclear program.

The West has yet to make "a reasonable offer" to Iran, Hagen said.
She slammed western countries for their continued pressure on Iran without wanting to make any concessions.

The expert pointed out that Tehran had in the past agreed to make concessions, among them the voluntary implementation of the additional protocol which included stepped up inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
There has to be a give and take by both sides, she said.
A major "sticking point" remains also western preconditions for Iran, according to Hagen.

Hagen warned the US against "pushing Iran into the corner" over its nuclear policy and issuing military threats. "I think this would be the wrong signal," she said.

The disarmament expert emphasized Tehran's security needs had to be taken more into account by the West as a result of Iraq's attack against Iran in the 1980s.

Hagen lashed out at the western role, especially the US, in its support of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein in his war against Iran./end