Eurasia Press & News
TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- Ambassador of South Africa to Tehran stressed that his country will not vote in favor of any UN resolution on sanctions against Iran.
Speaking to FNA in the northeastern city of Mashhad on Tuesday, Yousef Salouji reminded that imposition of sanctions on Iran will inflict huge losses on the group 5+1, and further assured that even if a sanction-based resolution is issued by the UN Security Council, the scope of such sanctions will be very limited and will, thus, have no profound effects on Iran.
“Iran is a signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and is, thus, entitled to use peaceful nuclear technology,” he stressed.
Noting Iran’s desirable cooperation with the inspectors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the diplomat reiterated that Iran has already shown its resolve to solve the nuclear case through peaceful means and negotiations.
He also underlined that Iran’s nuclear issue must be discussed and decided at the IAEA Board of Governors and not at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).
Salouji further expressed regret that some member states of the NPT have kept silent in the face of Iran’s right to use peaceful civilian nuclear energy.
He said that, as a freedom fighter, he defends Iran’s efforts to attain its natural and inalienable rights, and assured that he would take Iran’s message – i.e. its right to use peaceful nuclear technology – to the other world countries.
The Ambassador also underscored, “Considering that South Africa will join the non-permanent UN Security Council member states as of January 2007, Cape Town has decided to give a negative vote to any sanction resolution against Iran.”
