Iran willing to Cooperate with Int’l Community on N. Activities

Visiting Iranian Interior Minister Mostafa Pour-Mohammadi said on Thursday that Iran is willing to receive international inspections on its nuclear activities and will continuously conduct nuclear programs for peaceful purposes only. “We will conduct nuclear activities legally abiding by a series of international laws and regulations. We are willing to enhance cooperation with relevant international organizations and we welcome full inspections on our nuclear activities,” Pour-Mohammadi said during an interview with Xinhua late Thursday.

“We consider it is beneficial to us as well to cooperate with international community,” Pour-Mohammadi said through an interpreter.

As special envoy of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Pour-Mohammadi arrived in Beijing on Thursday for a two-day visit, during which he is scheduled to meet and talk with Chinese foreign minister Yang Jiechi and State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan on Friday, respectively.

Pour-Mohammadi’s visit would focus on his nation’s nuclear program, regional and international issues as well as enlarging cooperation with China in various fields, according to sources from the Iran embassy to China.

The Iranian envoy’s China trip was following a meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) governing board in Vienna to discuss a deal reached last month between Iran and the UN nuclear watchdog that demands Iran answer outstanding questions about its nuclear program.

The report also says Iran has not halted uranium enrichment.

“I want to reiterate our position that we develop nuclear program only for peaceful purpose and that is our legal rights,” Pour-Mohammadi said.

The United States and other Western countries have accused Iran of trying to develop atomic weapons under a civilian cover, but Iran denies such accusation, saying it just wants to generate electricity.

The US States Department said on Wednesday that it is working with other members of the UN Security Council as well as Germany to pass a new resolution on Iran with more sanctions.

“Sanctions are not the most effective measures to solve problems,” Pour-Mohammadi told Xinhua.

A couple of UN Security Council resolutions have been passed to punish Iran for its defiance on its nuclear issue.