MALAYSIA: Israeli offensive in Lebanon could overshadow issue of Iran's nuclear programme

Iran said on Thursday (August 3) that it was still considering an international package of incentives to suspend its nuclear programme, but the conflict in Lebanon had diverted its attention. On Monday, the U.N. Security Council demanded that Iran suspend its nuclear activities by August 31 or face the threat of sanctions; Iran responded by insisting on its right to produce nuclear fuel. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Thursday was in Malaysia's administrative capital of Putrajaya, where he was attending a meeting of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) which called for an immediate, unconditional ceasefire in Lebanon. Ahmadinejad said Iran was working on nuclear technology for use as alternative fuel for lighting and heat. He criticised Western allegations that his country was developing the fuel for use in warheads. "We are of the view that America and Britain, because of the crimes they have committed, don't deserve to be members of the Security Council," he said, speaking in Farsi through an interpreter. Asked specifically whether Iran would respond by the August 31 deadline, he said: "All the programmes that we have announced already we will follow up, but with a minor difference. "Still we are in the process of consideration, but what has taken place in Lebanon made us more attentive to the case and to be more considerate of that. And bear in mind that most of the time of most of the politicians today is expended in the issue of the Lebanese crisis." Before Monday's Security Council vote, Iranian parliamentarians said they could respond to a tough U.N. resolution by drafting a bill to follow North Korea out of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. However, no such threats have been made since the resolution was approved on Monday.

ITN Source | August 4, 2006

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