Ahmadinejad: Iran not interested in nuclear weapons

Iran is committed to its obligations under the Non-Proliferation Treaty, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad told former Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama on Sunday.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran is keen on developing cooperation with the Japanese government on issues consistent with international peace and security and disarmament of nuclear weapons,” IRNA quoted him saying.

“Iran believes that other governments have no right to impose their will on other nations. Rather, they must contribute to the elimination of weapons of mass destruction,” he added.

Ahmadinejad also stressed Tehran’s right to act independently so long as it adheres to the NPT.

According to IRNA, the two leaders discussed the detrimental and injurious impact of the World War II-era nuclear attacks on Japan.

“Islamic culture regards any damage to human beings as an injustice to the entire international community. It is an Islamic principle and the Islamic republic renounces WMDs as per the commands of Islam,” Ahmadinejad said.

A senior Defense Ministry official on Sunday intimated support for US President Barack Obama’s reported readiness to tolerate a civilian Iranian nuclear program, provided he is satisfied that Iran will not seek nuclear weapons.

“What’s important is not to let Iran achieve nuclear weapons capability,” said the ministry’s Director of Policy and Political-Military Affairs, Amos Gilad, “and the president has made clear that he will not allow Iran to achieve that.”

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) declared in both 2003 and 2005 that Iran had breached its NPT obligations.

An Iranian state television station reported Sunday that international negotiations about the country’s disputed nuclear program will take place in Istanbul later this week, indicating that the disagreements over venue — which had threatened to derail the talks — may be resolved.

But there was no confirmation from Turkey or from the six world powers — the five permanent UN Security Council members and Germany — involved in the scheduled April 13 meeting that Iran had confirmed its participation.

Speaking to CNN Sunday, Defense Minister Ehud Barak suggested a clear goal for the upcoming negotiations between Iran and the so-called P5+1. “We would have expected… that the threshold for effective negotiations be clear, namely that the P5+1 will demand clearly, no more enrichment [of uranium] to 20 percent, and all the already-enriched 20% material [will be removed] to a neighboring, trusted country.”