Rafsanjani: IAEA Board resolution on Iran "tyrannical"

Islamic Republic News Agency:

Tehran's Friday prayers substitute leader Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani on Friday dismissed the Thursday resolution of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors on Iran's peaceful nuclear program as "very tyrannical." Rafsanjani told multitudes of worshipers, "One should not take yesterday's event easily." He said that's a "highly important" event and will put us and the region possibly under new conditions, opening a new chapter in our revolution. READ MORE

He criticized certain Board members for turning back to Iran and stopping support for Tehran.

"It's highly surprising and amazing some countries initially supported us and even superficially delayed the meeting for two days but then through agreement adopted what the three European states and the US wanted and nobody opposed." Rafsanjani said he would later elaborate on the reasons and the causes the resolution was adopted at the IAEA Board meeting.

He said the same center, which explicitly says all countries have the right to benefit from the peaceful advantages of the latest and profit-making nuclear technology, has adopted such a "tyrannical" decision against Iran.

He went on to say, "We are now in the preliminary stage of enriching a substance which exists in our country to use the product for energy generation, medical, agricultural and other scientific purposes." He said Tehran has accepted all the safeguards agreements and implemented them even before ratification of the additional protocol of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) at Majlis.

The Expediency Council Chairman said Iran has excessively been humble and cooperative in the field and even suspended its activities for the sake of winning others' confidence Rafsanjani said, "We could hardly think a global center will before eyes of the world adopt through a consensus a resolution which would mandate Iran to suspend all its activities and return to the past." He said there are certain people saying Iran should not at all have nuclear technology and there are certain others who keep Iran waiting and order it to suspend the activities as a confidence- building gesture.

"The big powers are falsely thinking that through such a tyrannical move Iran will go backward and certain groups such as Israel also issue military threats against us," said Rafsanjani.

"Meanwhile," Rafsanjani said, "(the US Defense Secretary Donald) Rumsfeld and Britain-- despite their knowledge that Iran has a big role in Iraq's development and spread of democracy there and that Iran has done and will continue doing nothing other than Iraq's progress and restoration of calm to the country -- claim that we are sending arms to Iraq," said Rafsanjani.

Addressing himself to the west, Rafsanjani said, "You should know that Iran is not a place with which you can treat like Iraq and Libya." He said, "You might drag us on and not let Iran tread the path to development of knowledge but you are mistaken."

Insisting that Iran's decision is irreversible, Rafsanjani said "That's for 25 years that you have been treating us this way and eventually dealt a blow both on us and yourself but Tehran's decision is irreversible." Rafsanjani called on the officialdom to treat the issue prudently.

He also advised foreigners not to deal with the region, Iran and the nuclear energy issues that way because such behaviors might have temporary results but have no results on the long-run.

He stressed that Iranian people are vigilant and on the scene and would not allow others to deprive Iranian nation of the big right.