Indonesia may cooperate with Iran in nuke project: House Speaker

Indonesian House of Representatives Speaker Agung Laksono said Monday Indonesia and Iran can cooperate in nuclear enrichment projects for peaceful purposes.

"I think we can establish cooperation with the Iranian government in the pursuit of nuclear enrichment projects in the future as long as they are designed for peaceful objectives," the Speaker was quoted by the national Antara news agency as saying.

He said that the Indonesian government needed to defend Iran from pressure exerted by western countries with regard to its nuclear enrichment projects.

"I told the Iranian delegation that Indonesia will support Iran because its nuclear enrichment program is for peaceful purposes," he said after a meeting with a delegation of Iranian parliament members here.

He said that he himself had observed directly the Iranian nuclear enrichment projects which were being implemented for power generation, agricultural and medical purposes.

The House Commission one, which deals with defense and foreign affairs, visited Iran sometime ago and observed an Iranian nuclear installation.

Based on its observation, the commission concluded that Iran by no means had the intention to develop nuclear power for military purposes.

Source: Xinhua