Iran ready to export nuclear technology to regional countries

Iranian Foreign Minister Mottaki says demand for peaceful nuclear technology in Gulf countries would help dispel US allegations.

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Iran Shihab miss 298.88 (photo credit: Channel 2)
Iran Shihab miss 298.88
(photo credit: Channel 2)
Iran said on Monday that it was ready to transfer peaceful nuclear know-how to regional countries amid international pressure that it roll back its own controversial nuclear program. "The Islamic Republic of Iran has announced its readiness to transfer its nuclear experience to the neighboring countries under supervision" of the UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, said Manouchehr Mottaki, Iran's foreign Minister. Speaking at a conference on security in the Persian Gulf, Mottaki said that demand for peaceful nuclear technology in the oil-rich Arab Gulf countries would help dispel US allegations that Iran is secretly aiming to develop nuclear weapons. Iran denies the claims, saying its program is for generating electricity. "We are hopeful that leaders of the neighboring countries will pay the necessary attention to Iran's right to the exploitation of nuclear energy," Mottaki said. The six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council, which includes the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia as well as Jordan, Egypt and Turkey, had announced in recent months that they were interested in developing peaceful nuclear programs. While none of the regional countries had publicly cited the US allegations as a reason for wanting their own programs, some analysts think the announcements were intended as a warning to the Iranians about the dangers of a regional arms race. Arab countries are also worried about Teheran's growing dominance in the region and are afraid of being caught in the middle of a military conflict between the US and Iran over the Islamic Republic's nuclear program. Mottaki's comments came ahead of an upcoming meeting between Iran's top nuclear negotiator, Ali Larijani, and the European Union's foreign policy chief, Javier Solana, to explore whether there's room to resume negotiations over Tehran's disputed nuclear program.