| |
|
|
 |
|
Iran: Nuclear Ambitions and Threats |
|
|
|
|
Thursday, 10 November 2005 |
European Parliament, BRUSSELS, November 10 - On the initiative of the
Friends of a Free Iran Inter-parliamentary group, a seminar, entitled,
"Iran: Nuclear Ambitions and Threats," was held on Wednesday, November
9, in the European Parliament Headquarters in Brussels.
Chaired by Messrs. Struan Stevenson and Paulo Casaca, co-chairs of the
inter-parliamentary group, the seminar features Mr. Karl von Wogau, the
Chairman of the EP's Sub-committee for Defense and Security, Mohammad
Mohaddessin, NCRI's Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman and Prof.
Manouchehr Fakhimi, a former senior expert in Iran's Atomic Energy
Organization. Several other Euro MPs also spoke at the seminar.
Mr. Stevenson, who is also the Vice President of the ruling centre
right (EPP-ED) Parliamentary Group, said: "The Iranian regime's nuclear
activities were revealed by the NCRI for the first time. However, the
EU's pathetic attempts at appeasement have simply helped the oppressive
Mullah regime to accelerate its efforts to procure nuclear weapons. The
EU's policy resulted in the Presidency of the hostage-taker and
terrorist Ahmadinejad, whose horrifying remarks about wiping Israel off
the map shocked the world." Mr Stevenson added "In Iran the choice is
either working with Ahmadinejad or supporting the alternative, Mrs.
Maryam Rajavi, democratic leader of the NCRI." He called on all EP
parliamentary groups to work to remove the People's Mojahedin from the
terrorist list so as to prevent the outbreak of a war in Iran and set
the stage for democratic change.
Prof. Fakhimi, said, "In the first years after the Iranian Revolution,
they called me from the Revolutionary Guards Corps and asked about the
use of uranium ore. They said they have a major project for which they
desperately needed my expertise. They promised to shelve my dissident
past and would give me a house and cars. As an expert, he also warned
of a repeat of the Chernobyl disaster.
Mr. Mohaddessin said, "This regime is continuing to deceive
international inspectors. Last year, we revealed the nuclear activities
of a very important military site in Parchin, 30 kms southeast of
Tehran. The center has hundreds of buildings, workshops and
laboratories. This site is working on laser enrichment, manufacture of
nuclear warheads and nuclear capable long-range missiles."
"But the Iranian regime did not permit IAEA inspectors to visit the
site. One year later, they were permitted to visit the site, after the
Revolutionary Guards, changed and destroyed all evidence. They deceived
the inspectors and did not show them a very good part of facilities,"
Mr. Mohaddessin added.
NCRI's Foreign Affairs Committee Chair noted, "Nuclear warheads and
launching systems are two very important projects which the
Revolutionary Guards are working on. Since the Iranian regime's Air
Force is in a very feeble state, and lacks the capacity to deliver the
bomb, Tehran is trying to produce nuclear warheads and missiles that
carry those warheads. The Iranian regime has produced Shahab 3 missiles
with a range of 2000 km. It can reach all capitals in the region and
some eastern European countries. The Revolutionary Guards are working
on another type of missile named Ghadr with 2500-3000 km range , which
could reach Berlin, Rome, Athens, Vienna and some others capitals. More
than 70 percent of the Ghadr project has been completed so far."
Mr. Casaca stated, "In August 2002, the NCRI revealed Iran's nuclear
activities in Washington, DC. Several months later, U.S. Satellite
photos confirmed those revelations. Many were telling us this
resistance has no support in Iran. If that is the case, how could it
give out such detailed information to the rest of the world? On Monday,
a demonstration by tens of thousands were held outside the EU
headquarters, in which the participants called for the referral of
Iran's nuclear file to the United Nations Security Council. It is not
only in the interests of the West, but also to the interest of the
Iranian people to stop Iran's nuclear activities.”
Mr. von Wogau added, speaking from the position of European Security
and Protection, the worst thing for Europe was to have nuclear weapons
in the hands of terrorists. If Iran's nuclear weapons were peaceful,
why have they hidden them for so many years? Ahmadinejad's recent
speech about wiping Israel off the map shows clearly the dangers posed
by this regime. According to the Paris Agreement, the Iranian regime
was supposed to stop enrichment. After Ahmadinejad's election, however,
they have resumed their activities. It is therefore a mistake to say
that we have had amicable meetings with the Iranian regime. I think we
must do something about referring Iran's nuclear file to the Security
Council. We must realize that this is a correct decision and should
prepare for the end of November.
Mr. Vytautas Landsbergis, a Euro MP and former Lithuanian President
said we must actively support the democratic opposition. The Iranian
people are victims of the regime's nuclear policy. Were the people of
Germany in support of Hitler? They were themselves victimized. Now, it
is the Iranian people who will be victimized.
Another Euro MP, Mr. Tunne Kelam, said, it is the EU policy to
negotiate with a terrorist regime and blacklist the opposition. It is
our task to do something about this. If there are no alternatives to
this regime, we would have no choice but to work with the current
regime. In my view, the National Council of Resistance is the best
alternative. I attended their demonstration which was quite
illuminating. We must send a decisive message to
the Security Council. Otherwise, this regime will catch the world off
guard. We must change our policy to prevent the catastrophe that is
about to happen.
|
 Go To Top
|
|
English
Francais
Deutsch
Italiano
العربيّة
