IAEA Chief Mohamed ElBaradei

CAIRO, Egypt, Feb. 4--Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency Mohamed ElBaradei said the UN nuclear watchdog was making “good progress“ in finishing outstanding issues on Iran’s nuclear file.
ElBaradei, who is expected to issue a report around Feb. 20 on his visit to Iran and the IAEA’s inquiry into Iranian nuclear activity, made the remarks here on Sunday following talks with Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa, Xinhua reported.
ElBaradei called on the oil-rich country to fully cooperate with the international nuclear agency in conducting broader inspections on its present nuclear program.
The IAEA chief stressed the importance of holding multilateral negotiations between Iran and the international community in order to disperse many western countries’ fear of Iran’s nuclear program.
Some western countries have alleged that Iran was using the cover of a civilian nuclear program to develop nuclear weapons, which has been repeatedly denied by Tehran.
The report US National Intelligence Estimate also confirmed that Iran is not pursuing a nuclear weapons program.
However, the UN Security Council has adopted two resolutions--one in December 2006 and the other in March of 2007--to force Iran suspend uranium enrichment activities and to give up its nuclear programs. However, the resolutions were called “useless paper“ by Iranian officials.
World powers have agreed on the outline of a third sanctions resolution against Iran and the Security Council has held discussions on it.
Iran has downplayed the effect of possible new sanctions, saying Tehran would show “serious and logical reaction“ if the Security Council issued a third resolution.

Ahmad Miqani

TEHRAN, Feb. 4--Iran has started production of the new generation of fighter jets equipped with radar-evading systems, a senior military official said.
Iran’s Air Force Commander Brigadier General Ahmad Miqani added that Iran has completed the designing of fifth generation fighter jets and production work is in the early stages now, Presstv reported.
“Iran is now self-sufficient in manufacturing air defense and radar systems required for its defense,“ he said.
Iran has successfully designed, produced and tested the domestically-built fighter jet, Azarakhsh (Lightning), and its new generation, single-seater fighter jet, Saeqeh (Thunderbolt).
“Iran is fully prepared to defend its land and airspace,“ Miqani said, adding that anyone dreaming of invading Iran can be sure of receiving a crushing response from the country’s armed forces.

Omani minister responsible for foreign affairs, Yussef bin Alawi bin Abdullah, (l) greets his Iranian counterpart Manouchehr Mottaki upon his arrival in Muscat, February 3.

MUSCAT, Oman, Feb. 4--Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki arrived in Muscat on Sunday after a one-day visit to Saudi Arabia for a meeting on Israeli atrocities against Gaza Strip.
Mottaki will hold talks with the Omani minister responsible for foreign affairs, Yussef bin Alawi bin Abdullah, on regional and international developments, Oman’s official ONA news agency reported.
The duration of Mottaki’s visit was not specified.
The Sultanate of Oman, an ally of the United States, also has good relations with Iran.
Both Oman and Iran are co-guardians of the strategic Strait of Hormuz that leads to the oil-rich Persian Gulf. They have consistently maintained good relations, and Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad visited Muscat last May.
Oman is anxious to avoid a rise in tension in the Persian Gulf over Tehran’s civilian nuclear program, which has led to a standoff with the West.

KHARTOUM, Sudan, Feb. 4--Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir affirmed on Sunday his country’s keenness to consolidate economic and political relations with Iran.
Bashir made the remark during a meeting with the visiting Iranian Majlis Speaker Gholamali Haddad Adel, according to a report of the official SUNA news agency.
The Sudanese president appreciated progress in bilateral relations between Sudan and Iran, and stressed the importance of further promoting these ties, particularly in the economic field.
The Iranian speaker told reporters after the meeting that his visit to Sudan and meetings with Sudanese officials are aimed at further enhancing economic and political cooperation between the two countries so as to meet the aspiration of the peoples of Sudan and Iran.
Haddad disclosed a plan of Iran to hold a conference on African-Iranian cooperation, hoping that Sudan would participate effectively in this conference.
In a meeting with Sudanese National Assembly’s Vice Speaker Abdullah Al-Hardalou, Haddad said the time is ripe for Iran and Sudan to initiate a new round of cooperation.
“Over the past 30 years, the two countries have had very sound relations and Sudan has always enjoyed Iran’s support,“ he said.
Haddad arrived in Khartoum Saturday evening from Egypt on the second leg of his two-nation African tour. His two-day visit to Sudan is taking place at the official invitation of his Sudanese counterpart.

TEHRAN, Feb. 4--Iran’s new ambassador to North Korea, Morteza Moradian, has called for further expansion of relations with Pyongyang in all fields.
In a meeting with the President of the Supreme People’s Assembly of North Korea, Kim Yong-Nam on Monday, Moradian submitted a copy of his credentials and expressed hope that bilateral ties would receive a boost during his tenure, Presstv reported.
The North Korean official, for his part, praised the resistance of the Iranian government and nation against the world arrogant powers, saying that the enemies’ efforts to put pressure on independence-seeking countries are a form of psychological warfare that is doomed.
“The US pressure on Iran was proof of the righteousness of Tehran’s policies in the regional and international arenas,“ he said.
Expressing his country’s readiness to boost cooperation with Iran, Kim called for more contacts between the officials of the two countries in all sectors, particularly in the areas of trade, culture and sports.

Serving as a reporter for The Times, George Nathaniel Curzon visited Iran in the autumn of 1889. He became assistant private secretary to Lord Salisbury, and served as undersecretary of state for foreign affairs. Some years later, when appointed as the viceroy of India, he decided to publish the report of his travel to Iran.
Lord Curzon also served as the president of Oxford University and as foreign secretary.
In his book “Persia and the Persian Question“, he tried to look at Iran from a new and different perspective.
Iran and the Iranian question is still a significant subject of global politics of our time.
The Islamic Republic of Iran is the only point from Delhi to Istanbul that international community can rely upon to defuse crises and threats that have beset this vast region as the direct result of the failure of big powers, especially major European states, to accept their international responsibility. Condoning the aggressions by the Zionists against Muslim nations, the invasion of Afghanistan by the Soviet army and Saddam’s attack against Iran, the regrettable military and intelligence complicity between some Western governments and aggressors like Saddam over the past half a century have brought about crises to our region with consequences for the international community.
In the midst of all these upheavals, Iran, as a country with a rich history and culture and conscious of its responsibility, has been both a direct victim of aggressions and a casualty of wrong decisions resulting from the failure of some politicians of the major powers to grasp the realities.
Iran possesses the same qualities described by Lord Curzon, and is now even more influential and a force for good in light of the positive developments resulting from the Islamic Revolution of 1979 and as a model of Islamic democracy that is more compatible with the indigenous demands of the region.
We are trying to defend our independence, and while meeting the needs of our young and advancing society, we endeavor to steer the ship of Middle East in these turbulent waters to the peaceful and calm shores.
This purpose is in fact the second part of the title of Lord Curzon’s book, “the Persian Question“.
This is the question, just like the significance of Persia as clearly stated in his book, which has remained unchanged in substance and meaning to this day.
In fact, the only change in the theme of Iran and the Iranian question is the change in the attitude of some politicians in Western countries.
However, the new generation of practitioners of politics in some countries is not fully cognizant of the fact that Iran and the Iranian question are indivisible.
In the midst of constellation of crises and threats, Iran is the first line of defense and protection for the interests of the international community. But Iran can play its historical role only when its ’question’ is properly addressed.
In the closing weeks of 2007, the report by the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency and the US National Intelligence Estimate clearly indicated that the nuclear case of Iran has nothing to do with its military programs, but rather relates to the desire of the country to preserve peaceful nuclear knowledge and capability for future generations.
This knowledge and capability, together with “security and stability“, can help Iran move on the path of progress. Consequently, under the present global atmosphere and without trying to divide the two concepts of Iran and the Iranian question, we need to see how we can move forward by combining the two and avoiding confrontation and threat.
Therefore, under these circumstances, negotiation by itself is not the main concern, but the subject of negotiation is.
Is the subject of negotiation about “Iranian Question“ or about dividing the two concepts by raising preconditions, like suspension of enrichment?
Cooperation of Iran with IAEA shows that we are truthful and genuine in observing the rules of ’driving’, since we intend to move forward on the road to progress by respecting the rules.
But we cannot tolerate biased and discriminatory behavior on this path. Iran and others will have easier and smoother travel on this road, when all members of the international community adhere to the Non-Proliferation Treaty.
The historical proposal of the Islamic Republic of Iran over the past recent decades for a “Middle East free of weapons of mass destruction“ is a clear indication of our peaceful desire for the region.
The destiny of Iran is not separable from the collective destiny of the international community. Besides, the principle of equal sovereignty requires that no member of community of nations should be exempted from accepting the non-proliferation commitments.
To sum up, Iran and the Iranian question need to be correctly understood and Iran should be supported, without any prejudgments, and not threatened, as it tries to preserve its peaceful nuclear knowledge and capability for future generations.