Rouhani insists Iran doesn't want nuclear weapons
Iran鈥檚 President Hassan Rouhani said today that 鈥渘o nation should possess nuclear weapons鈥� and that any use of them would be a 鈥渃rime against humanity.鈥�
Addressing a United Nations nuclear disarmament conference, Mr. Rouhani reaffirmed Iran鈥檚 longstanding policy of creating a nuclear weapons-free zone in the Middle East and calling for Israel to put its undeclared nuclear arms under UN inspection.聽
鈥淭he world has waited too long for nuclear disarmament,鈥� said Rouhani, calling on weapons states to lead in global disarmament efforts. 鈥淎s long as nuclear weapons exist, the threat of their use exists.鈥澛�
Speaking as head of the Non-Aligned Movement,聽a group of more than 120 countries,聽Rouhani said, 鈥淣o nation should possess nuclear weapons, since there are no right hands for these wrong weapons.鈥澛�
Rouhani鈥檚 comments come as the top diplomats of Iran, the United States, and five other world powers prepare to meet later today 鈥� the highest level direct US-Iran contact in years between the arch-rivals 鈥撀� for discussions on Iran鈥檚 nuclear case.
The new president, who is under immense pressure at home to prove that engagement with the West will pay off, is pushing for a swift agreement.聽
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Iran hopes the talks will 鈥渏ump start鈥� nuclear negotiations between Iran and the P5+1 group (the US, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany) that have stalled since last spring.聽
鈥淲e have a historic opportunity to resolve the nuclear issue,鈥� .
Diplomats have held six high-level rounds of negotiations since early last year, at venues from Turkey to Iraq to Russia to Kazakhstan, but failed to reach agreement on a way to cap Iran鈥檚 nuclear program to prevent a future nuclear weapon 鈥� an aim that Iran says it rejects 鈥� while also satisfying Iran鈥檚 demand that it can keep enriching uranium for peaceful energy purposes.聽
Like all senior Iranian officials, Rouhani has stated repeatedly and unequivocally that Iran rejects atomic arms, and told the UN General Assembly on Tuesday that nuclear weapons 鈥渉ave no place in Iran鈥檚 security and defense doctrine.鈥澛�
In New York, Rouhani has also said he envisions dramatically speeding up the nuclear negotiations, putting a solution together within three months. Analysts indicate that that narrow window 鈥撀爌erhaps extending to the Persian New Year in March next year 鈥� may be all the time Rouhani has to show results at home from the current charm offensive and bid to reengage with the West.
A top priority for Rouhani is fulfilling promises to loosen US, European Union, and UN sanctions that have helped cripple Iran鈥檚 economy.聽
鈥淭he only way forward is for a timeline to be inserted into the [nuclear] negotiations that鈥檚 short 鈥� and wrap it up,鈥� Rouhani . 鈥淭he shorter it is, the more beneficial it is to everyone. If it鈥檚 three months that would be Iran鈥檚 choice, if it鈥檚 six months that鈥檚 still good. It鈥檚 a question of months not years.鈥�
A nuclear deal would be a stepping stone for resolving other issues between Iran and the rest of the world, Rouhani said.
鈥淎fter resolution of the nuclear issue there are no impossibilities in terms of advancing other things forward,鈥� Rouhani told the Post. 鈥淭he foundation for all this is the confidence that has to be built. That clearly will help with everything else. Everything is possible after the settlement.鈥� 聽 聽
In his disamarmanent speech, Rouhani said: 鈥淚srael, the only non-party to the Non-Proliferation Treaty, should join thereto without any further delay.鈥� That step would put 鈥渁ll nuclear activities in the region鈥� under inspection by the UN鈥檚 International Atomic Energy Agency.
