Larijani Threatens to Leave IAEA

Deutsche Presse-Agentur, Monsters and Critics:

Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani threatened to leave the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Saturday if it referred Tehran's nuclear programme to the UN Security Council. 'Why did we become a member of the IAEA? In order to be allowed to have atomic energy. It is a paradox that we are an IAEA member and yet we are not permitted to do anything. In this case, we will leave the IAEA,' Larijani told the Viennese Kurier daily in an interview to be published in its Sunday edition READ MORE

Larijani is also secretary of the influential Iranian National Security Council.

Iran has been an IAEA member since the late 1950s and a signatory to the international Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty that expressly guarantees every country the right to the peaceful use of nuclear energy.

Larijani stressed that Iran wanted 'to go the way of India and Pakistan (both non-signatories to the treaty) ... These countries aspire to atomic bombs; we do not, under any circumstances.'

Iran refused Friday during a meeting with the French and German foreign ministers to give up completely the domestic enrichment of uranium.

Enriched uranium is required to fuel nuclear power plants, but at higher grades it can be used to make nuclear weapons which the West, led primarily by the United States, fears Iran is planning to do.

A report by the IAEA to be released Monday criticizes Iran for violating the non-proliferation treaty. A vote by the agency's board of governors on the same day is expected to refer the case to the UN Security Council for possible sanctions.

Larijani described the involvement of the Security Council as the worst case scenario for Iran. 'If the case is there (before the council), the Europeans who are on the Security Council will be sidelined by the US. The Americans will take over the steering-wheel and confront us directly without Europe exerting an influence,' he said.

But Larijani said his country was not afraid of sanctions. 'We have lived with sanctions (by the US) for 27 years. The conditions in the region are not such that sanctions could have the influence the Americans expect. I am not claiming that we won't have any difficulties, but the others will also have some,' Larijani said.

If the conflict 'pushed oil prices sky high, the Europeans would also be affected,' Larijani said.