Iranian president defends nuclear policy as wise, logical

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has defended his cabinet's nuclear policy as wise and logical, the official IRNA news agency reported on Thursday.

"In order to secure the Iranian nation's interests in the nuclear field, the government has moved wisely, patiently and based on a well-devised planning," Ahmadinejad was quoted as saying at a joint meeting of the government and the Majlis ( parliament) on Wednesday.

In reaction to criticism that his cabinet "acted hurriedly" over the nuclear issue, Ahmadinejad said Iran "would not take even a single step back from our logical and precisely adopted stands," stressing the country was "more resolute and logical than ever before."

"Today, the country's foreign policy regarding the nuclear issue is solid, fully harmonized and satisfactory in a way that our officials have full command over making initiatives actively," he said.

He hailed a nuclear proposal he presented in mid-September at the UN General Assembly in New York as an offer having "disarmed Iran's enemies and promised to put forth genuine and new initiatives in confronting any new situation."

In this proposal, Ahmadinejad suggested that Iran involve foreign companies in its uranium enrichment program as a new confidence-building measure to guarantee peaceful and transparent nature of the program.

Ahmadinejad also reiterated that Iran "welcomes resuming negotiations on its nuclear program patiently."

Meanwhile, the president said the pressure exerted by the United States and Europe on Iran's nuclear issue prompted Tehran's "perseverance in maintaining its religious and national identity and its Islamic culture zealously, fearless from trouble-making of hegemonic world powers."

Ahmadinejad, famed hardliner, came into power on Aug. 3, and five days later, Iran resumed its highly sensitive uranium conversion activities, the preparatory step for uranium enrichment, regardless of stern warnings of the European Union (EU).

The nuclear issue then came to a deadlock. As a result, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Sept. 24 adopted a resolution drafted by the EU, urging Iran to fully suspend all the activities related to uranium enrichment before November with the warning of referring the case to the UN Security Council.

Iran said on Tuesday that it was prepared to restart nuclear negotiations with the IAEA and all its members, including the EU " without any predictions."

The United States accuses Iran of developing nuclear weapons under the disguise of a civilian program, a charge denied by Tehran.

Source: Xinhua