(IRNA) - Iranian Ambassador to Britain Rassoul Movahedian said here Tuesday that Iran was ready to confront sanctions sought to be imposed by the West and had mapped out different strategies.
In an interview with the pan-Arab newspaper `Asharq Alawsat', Movahedian warned countries seeking to impose sanctions on Iran to be ready to accept its consequences, reports Trend.
Stressing the need to bolster ties between Iran and the Arab world, he warned of adverse effects should sanctions be imposed on Iran's peaceful nuclear activities.
Dismissing the hue and cry over possible sanctions on Iran, he said "imposition of sanctions on account of the country's peaceful nuclear program would have no legal basis as Iran is simply exercising a right granted it under international law."
Arguing that Tehran has not violated international law, rules or regulations with its nuclear activities, Movahedian said "sanctions imposed on Iran will be unfair, improper and discriminatory." Asked why Iran was insistent on continuation of its uranium enrichment work despite pressure from the West, the ambassador said that as a "signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty Iran has the right to engage in peaceful nuclear activities as are all other signatories."
He went on to say that Iran's nuclear activities are carried out under surveillance of the International Atomic Energy Agency.
It would be useless for Iran to sign the NPT and be bound by certain obligations if it could not enjoy the right guaranteed therein to engage in peaceful nuclear activities, the envoy said.
He said Iran pursues its nuclear activities by relying on domestic skill and resources to achieve its scientific goals.
Movahedian further pointed out that access to nuclear energy is the desire of the Iranian nation and their officials and the national consensus is for continuation of the country's peaceful nuclear activities.
He said Iranian officials have been holding talks with a number of European states and (European Union foreign policy chief) Javier Solana since 2003, adding that Article 4 of the NPT guarantees access to nuclear technology for peaceful purposes to all signatory states.
"The treaty does not discriminate against any state with regard to this nuclear right, but European states refuse to recognize the universality of this right because of certain political reasons." He said Europe's double standards was "the main problem that led to the suspension of negotiations between (Secretary of Supreme National Security Council) Ali Larijani and the European states' senior officials, Solana in particular."
The diplomat said that Iran will not rely on Russia and China (as two permanent members of the UN Security Council) to neutralize efforts aimed at imposing sanctions against the country.
"It will continue its talks with the 5+1 Group (Russia, China, France, Britain, the United States plus Germany)" in the interest of resolving the dispute, he added.
He praised the Arab world, particularly Saudi Arabia and Egypt, for their wise stances and support for Iran's peaceful nuclear case.
He rejected alleged differences among Iranian political officials on relations with Syria, saying "we have good and deep-rooted ties with Damascus."
"Syria is an important Arab state which plays a pivotal role in the Middle East," he said.
Asked whether Iran supports talks between Hamas and Israel to settle ongoing tensions, the envoy said: "We have a principled stance on Israel. In political and legal terms, we do not officially recognize the regime and insist that Palestinians should have the right to decide their own future."
"We will still continue our moral and political support for the Palestinian people."
Asked to elaborate on Iran's stand with regard to the recently concluded war in Lebanon, Movahedian said: "Hezbollah is an important force in the political and social system of Lebanon...The Arab world rejoiced in the victory of Hezbollah over the Zionist regime. We have also a positive view on their struggle."
On Iraq and Afghanistan, he said Iran's policy is to support restoration of stability and tranquility and the democratically elected governments in these states.
He said Iran is keenly interested in the restoration of stability in Iraq as "security in Iraq has a bearing on security in Iran." "We are strongly interested in the settlement of Iraq's security problems."
He said a plan to divide Iraq into three parts based on its religious and ethnic groups was "dangerous," and said "Iran supports Iraq's full independence and territorial integrity."
Pointing to the continued US foreign presence in Iraq and Afghanistan, he said that Iran was "not threatened by this presence but was not also happy with it."
He urged US forces to leave Iraq at the earliest, saying their presence was an obstacle to peace in the region.
He said he believed without interference by foreigners, the Iraqi and Afghan governments would be able to settle their problems in due time.