Iran has the legal right to have nuclear fuel cycle capability under Article 2 of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NNPT), and the United States of America should resolve the issue through dialogue rather than military means. This was stated by Mehdi Masood, a career diplomat, while speaking at a seminar on "Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution", organised by the Department of International Relations, University of Karachi, here on Thursday.
Speaking on the "Iran-US Nuclear Stand-off" he said that Pakistan could play a positive role in promoting dialogue between Iran and the US capitalising on its good relations with both the countries.
According to a press release issued here on Thursday, Mehdi Massod said that Iran has a nuclear power plant under-construction at Bushehr with Russian assistance, adding that Iran claims its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes, mainly to meet its energy needs, but the US and Israel have been accusing Iran of clandestinely working on a nuclear weapon programme.
Mehdi Masood said that International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Muhammad Al Baradei has also acknowledged this right of Iran under the treaty, but has also demanded that Iran should allow IAEA inspections to further verify that it is not a violation the treaty.
He said that two years back the IAEA added an additional protocol in the NPT, which gives the IAEA greater rights of inspections and verifications, adding Iran's Majlis has yet to ratify this protocol, but in order to dispel suspicions, Iran claims to be morally bound to the protocol.
Mehdi Masood said that the EU troika of the big three powers - Germany, France and Britain - are negotiating and pressing Iran on its nuclear programme.
Iran as a precautionary measure has temporarily suspended even its civilian-based enrichment programme, but what is demanded of Iran is a permanent renunciation of fuel cycle capability, he added.
To this, he said that Iran strongly resists and invokes its legal rights under the NPT.
Mehdi Masood also talked about the dark scars inflicted on USA in its relationship with Iran. Some of the causes for this were told to be the US Hostage Crisis, Iran's strong support for Palestine and Hezbollah, Iran's failure to hand over al Qaeda convicts, and its 'support for terrorism'.
The USA also accuses Iran of obstructing the Middle East peace process, he said.
He said that if the USA were to impose sanctions on Iran it would lose its leverage over Iran. This would also result in strengthening the hands of the regime instead of the pro-democracy forces, he added.
Professor Dr Moonis Ahmar, Programme Director also spoke while the former secretary, Pakistan Institute of International Affairs, Hafiz Khan, Professor Arif Kamal, Professor Dr Talat Wizarat and Faheemuddin were also present on the occasion.