TEHRAN, May 22 (UPI) -- Iran affirmed that it will not give up its right to nuclear industrial technology and nuclear research, despite European incentives to reverse its policy.
Government spokesman Ghulam Hussein Elham said Monday the five permanent members of the Security Council, and Germany, who meet Wednesday in London to discuss Iran's nuclear program, "should take into consideration Iran's requests to fulfill its legal and legitimate rights."
Iran's right for peaceful nuclear technology was backed by Arab League Secretary General Amr Mousa whi played down U.S. and Israeli accusations that Iran is seeking to develop weapons of mass destruction.
Speaking on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum convening in Egypt's Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, Mousa was quoted Monday as blasting the duality in treating nations by harassing Iran while ignoring Israel's nuclear arsenal.
"Why should we treat Israel in a special way... While we fear that any other country acquires nuclear weapons. The policy used in dealing with Iran's nuclear case is not approved or backed in the Middle East," Mousa said.
He stressed that all Mideast countries, including Iran, which signed the nuclear non-proliferation treaty have the right to develop peaceful programs for using nuclear energy.
Elham was earlier quoted by Iranian news agency IRNA as saying that enriching uranium within the framework of the NPT and under the monitoring of the International Atomic Energy Agency "is a legal right for Iran."
"All parties should respect that right and acknowledge it, because Iran cannot compromise in that regard," Elham added.
