The Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Russia Golamreza Ansari told our correspondent about the Iranian nuclear program, missile technologies, Russian-Iranian military cooperation, and the current political situation in Iran. Before his appointment to Moscow, Ansari worked in the Head office of the Foreign Ministry in Tehran and then as Iranian Ambassador in London.
Mister Ambassador, at the end of last year President Vladimir Putin visited Tehran for the Presidential Summit of the Five Caspian countries. Do you know about any plans for Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to make a visit to Russia, or any another official delegation, this year?
Praise our mercy Lord and God! For our country the visit of President Putin to Iran was a very important event. There was discussion of our bilateral relations and other international issues during the visit. The Caspian summit was very successful. There will be several exchanges of delegations at the high state level between our countries this year. We very much hope for success. In comparison with 2006, our cooperation has increased by 56 percent. The exchange of delegations will help the development of our economic relations.
How do you estimate Russian-Iranian military cooperation?
We have had military cooperation with Russia for many years. Even before our revolution in the 1970s we were cooperating. The main thing is that in the last few years military cooperation between Iran and Russia serves the aims of strengthening security in our region and is always directed toward defensive purposes. We obtain defensive kinds of arms. We hope that in the future our cooperation with Russia in the military sphere will continue to develop.
How do you view the role of Iran as a country-observer at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)?
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization opens a good future for all Central Asian countries and for the Middle East, for Russia, China, and Iran. We want to become a full-fledged and active member of this prestigious international organization. We hope that in the future with help of the SCO member-countries we can achieve high goals.
The United States plans to deploy an antiballistic missile shield in Eastern Europe to defend Europeans from long-range Iranian missiles. My question is, does Iran have such long-distance missiles, which can reach and destroy targets in Europe?
This question is easy for me: We don't have such missiles. I do not think that you can find in the world even one person who believes the Americans that this antiballistic missile system in the countries of Eastern Europe is against Iranian missiles. It is obvious that this U.S. antiballistic missile shield is against the nuclear arsenal of Russia. Iran has never in its history had enemies in Europe. Therefore this is a U.S. tale for achieving of its goals.
What is your opinion concerning the worries of some countries about the nuclear program of Iran?
Presently the most important global problem in the world is the nuclear program of Iran. Many scientists and politicians in the world worry about this program. There are three aspects of this problem: technical, political, and international law. Only the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) can make any conclusions about this problem. Article 4 of The Non-Proliferation Treaty speaks about the balance of security issues and social-economic circumstances in developing countries.
According to this agreement each country that has signed the Treaty has the right to carry out studies, produce, and use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. No country has the right to force another country to refrain from using nuclear energy. For more than 50 years, since the founding of the IAEA in 1957, as a result of political pressure this organization has not been able to reflect the interests of developing countries, as outlined in the IAEA Charter.
The IAEA was founded for easing the access and exchange of science and technical information in the sphere of the peaceful use of nuclear energy between its members. Gradually IAEA, turned into the supervisory body of the United Nations and presently prevents the exchange of information and cooperation. According to our opinion, it undermines the IAEA's authority and prestige.
Nevertheless, there has been intensive cooperation between Iran and the IAEA for the last years. IAEA Secretary General Mohamed ElBaradei confirmed this fact in his own report in February this year. Particularly, ElBaradei confirmed the trustworthiness and reliability of all Iranian declarations in this report.
One of the most important items of this report is that ElBaradei 22 times declared that Iran cooperates with IAEA and all information presented by Iran corresponds to IAEA reports.
There were no limits from the Iranian side. We are convinced that nuclear weapons cannot guarantee peace and security for any country. The Soviet Union had a huge nuclear arsenal, however it didn't prevent the USSR's collapse.
Nuclear weapons are absent from the defensive doctrine of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The possession of nuclear weapons contradicts the national security of Iran.
Thus complaints of other countries about Iran are absolutely groundless.
What is your attitude about the current situation in Iraq?
The Islamic Republic of Iran respects the territorial integrity of Iraq, advocates for unity and solidarity of all Iraqi people, parties, and influential clans. The development and prosperity of Iraq, the strengthening of central authority, clear and exact plans and a date of withdrawal for foreign troops from Iraq - are the main principles of our policy concerning Iraq.
How do you estimate political situation in another neighbor - Afghanistan?
The Islamic Republic of Iran expresses concern about the development of events in Afghanistan. Inactivity of foreign troops in this country has led to the weakening of the Government of Afghanistan, strengthening Al-Qaeda and the Taliban, and causing an increase in drug production and drug traffic by five or six times. Finally it caused the growth of tension in the country. We are convinced that foreign troops in Afghanistan are responsible for these problems entirely.
What do you think about the State of Palestine's future?
Iran respects the representatives of all religions and confessions, including in Palestine. Iran thinks that the establishment in Palestine of a stable peace is possible only by the return of all rights to the people of this country, the end of occupation, a return of refuges, carrying out a referendum that includes Muslims, Christians, and Jews, and the foundation of a united independent state.
How do you estimate the future of relations between Iran and Israel?
Iran doesn't recognize the regime of Zionist apartheid, as we did not recognize the regime of apartheid in South Africa. One of the big threats in the Middle East now is the U.S. support of the illegal regime in Israel. We are convinced that we can have good relations with all countries of our region except Israel. And these relations are based on mutual respect and equal rights.
What are the main challenges and threats to the national security of Iran?
The U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East region and in the Persian Gulf is the main threat to our security.
There will be the parliamentarian elections this year, and presidential elections next year in Iran. What are the chances that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will be reelected for a second term?
I am a diplomat. I may say that it's impossible to forecast the results of elections because of many domestic and foreign factors. As to the presidential elections in Iran I may say that it is too early to talk about them. Presently the current Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad enjoys wide popularity among all citizens of our country.
What is Tehran's attitude to the problem of Kosovo?
This question has very important aspects. Frankly speaking, the United Nations divided one of its members into two parts, though Article 1244 confirms the territorial integrity of Serbia. This is a very strange event. We think that some countries try to weaken international organizations. Presently, Iran is studying the question of Kosovo's future. Iran... expresses its concern over the weakening of international organizations.
By Yuri Plutenko
