IRAN: Cleric says Western threats over Iran's controversial nuclear programme will not resolve the crisis

Influential Iranian cleric and former president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani told worshippers at Friday (February 23) prayers at the Tehran university campus that Western threats in the row over Iran's nuclear plans would not work. Rafsanjani spoke out a day after the U.N. International Atomic Energy Agency said Iran had not heeded its deadline to stop uranium reprocessing. "I say it frankly and with decisiveness they (Westerners) will not get any result from this way (threats), threats will just make problems for themselves, the whole worlds and especially our religion and will not bring any results," he told worshippers at prayers in Tehran who chanted 'death to Israel' and 'death to America'. "We are ready to give you trust our leader and all of us and we know that if in a proper condition we sit for negotiations you will be sure that there is nothing in Iran's nuclear programs but peaceful activities," Rafsanjani added. The five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council plus Germany will meet in London next week to discuss possible further steps in addition to U.N. sanctions barring the transfer of nuclear technology and know-how that were imposed in December. Iran previously suspended uranium enrichment under an agreement with the European Union but this broke down in 2005. The United States has stepped up pressure on Iran to stop by slapping U.S. sanctions on two big Iranian banks and three firms. It has also deployed a second aircraft carrier to the Gulf with supporting warships, a move widely seen as a warning to Iran. Washington insists it wants a diplomatic solution and does not want war, but has not ruled out force if necessary. pc/jrc

ITN Source | February 23, 2007

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