Mohammad Khazaei

UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 16--Iran’s permanent representative to the United Nations, Mohammad Khazaei, briefed UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on latest developments related to Iran’s nuclear program.
Referring to Iran’s cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency, the envoy said on Friday good progress has been made in this respect, IRNA reported.
“All the remaining questions have been answered and there is no cause for concern,“ he said.
Khazaei noted that sending Iran’s file to the UN Security Council contradicted the international law, adding that Iran’s nuclear activities are within the framework of the Non-Proliferation Treaty.
He added that any unusual measure taken by the UN Security Council would discredit the IAEA--the UN nuclear watchdog--and the Security Council as well.

Ban Ki-moon

Ban expressed satisfaction with the positive trend of cooperation between Iran and the UN nuclear watchdog.
He said dialogue is the best possible means for resolving pending issues.
Meanwhile, Iran’s senior presidential advisor, Mojtaba Samareh Hashemi says Iran will continue development of its peaceful nuclear program.
In an interview with Japan’s NHK TV prior to a visit to Japan, Samareh criticized the five permanent UNSC members plus Germany for proposing more sanctions against Iran.
“This resolution lacks any legal basis and would further degrade the UN status,“ he said.
Samareh said if the US sets aside its interventionist policies on Iran, it can have good relations with Tehran.

TEHRAN, Feb. 16--Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, will visit Iran to discuss bilateral ties and the nuclear program.
Mehr News Agency on Saturday quoted the Al-Hayat newspaper as saying that Sheikh Mohammed would begin a two-leg formal visit to Iran and Syria at the head of a delegation in the coming days.
His trip to Tehran would be the first such visit by a high-ranking UAE official since the foundation of the Islamic Republic in 1979.
Sheikh Mohammed, who is also the UAE vice president, is scheduled to discuss a range of issues with senior Iranian officials. These include Iran’s nuclear case and its talks with the West and the International Atomic Energy Agency, ties between Tehran and Abu Dhabi and the three Iranian islands in the Persian Gulf.
Informed sources said the UAE premier’s visit to Tehran and Damascus is essentially political, as Abu Dhabi enjoys good economic cooperation with both countries.
Meanwhile, Azeri Defense Minister Safar Abiyev is to arrive in Tehran on Monday at the head of a delegation.
Abiyev’s two-day visit will take place at the official invitation of Iran’s Defense Minister Brigadier General Mostafa Mohammad Najjar.
During his stay, the Azeri minister will review issues of mutual interest with senior Iranian officials.

TEHRAN, Feb. 16--Guardians Council has approved the competency of a further 300 candidates for the upcoming Majlis elections, the constitutional watchdog’s spokesman said on Saturday.
Talking to reporters, Abbasali Kadkhodaei added that the figure includes those who were disqualified by the executive board.
Kadkhodaei said the council would announce names of the approved ones to the Interior Ministry by Saturday afternoon.
The vetting body recently provided the Interior Ministry with the names of 280 more candidates whose eligibility had been okayed for the Majlis vote slated for late March.
According to Iran’s Election Law, the Guardians Council must investigate within 20 days the complaints filed by the disqualified candidates seeking a seat in the 290-member chamber. The council is in charge of deciding the competency of all Iranians seeking public office through elections in Iran.
Over 7,000 people across the country had registered for the next parliamentary elections on March 14. Some 2,400 hopefuls were disqualified on the basis of articles 28, 29 and 30 of the Elections Law.

TEHRAN, Feb. 16--Guardians Council has criticized President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad over his recent decision to abolish some high councils by attributing it to the GC, rejecting a Majlis explanatory note about the president’s act.
Recently, President Ahmadinejad had ordered a deputy to implement the council’s decision opposing the formation of decision-making councils with individuals from outside the government, Fars News Agency reported.
The council had returned the plan to Majlis for more consideration, but the government implemented the decision without undergoing the legal procedure.
In a letter to the president, the powerful council said the government cannot implement such a Majlis ratification.
The council also rejected the government’s reference to Article 113 of the constitution for its decision and said the government cannot directly reject ratifications of the Majlis.