Politica Externa

09/02/2010 - 06:29:27 - Agência Brasil | Envie a um amigo

Iranian ambassador compares Iranian and Brazilian nuclear programs and says Brazil supports enrichment

Tuesday, Feb 9, 2010

Brasilia ? The Iranian ambassador in Brazil, Mohsen Shaterzadeh, speaking yesterday at a press conference, praised Brazilian support for the decision by the president of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, to enrich uranium to 20% beginning today (Feb 9).

Shaterzadeh declared that the Iranian nuclear program is similar to the Brazilian nuclear program, although there are suspicions in the international community that Iran is secretly working to enrich uranium in order to make bombs for military purposes. The ambassador rebuffed that criticism saying: ?Countries like Brazil and Iran do not want to use nuclear energy to produce weapons. Nuclear energy in Iran, as in Brazil, is for medical and agricultural objectives. There is a right for nations to use this technology for the well-being of their population.? He added that Iran trusts Brazil, ?We believe that Brazilian authorities are aware of the situation and position of Iran. Brazil is not a nation that wants to colonize other nations, unlike many other countries that have reacted negatively [to the Iranian decision to enrich its uranium to 20%].?

The ambassador went on to say that countries led by the United States, such as England, Germany and France, the ones that suspect Iran [wants to produce nuclear weapons] should set an example and change their position. ?Those who come out so strongly against nuclear weapons should [practice what they preach]: first destroy their own weapons before telling others to do so.?

The Iranian project of uranium enrichment to 20% is part of plan to buy the product from other countries and does not infringe on international norms, declared the ambassador. ?Iran will show that the Western countries are lying, they are not sincere. Therefore, even as Iran begins to produce its own uranium at 20%, it is willing to buy and will not disobey any international norm in doing so. What we are doing is in full compliance with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)," concluded Shaterzadeh.

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