US unhappy about expansion of cooperation between regional states
Tehran, 2007/01/23, IRNA
Government spokesman Gholam-Hossein Elham said here Tuesday that the warm welcome of draft budget by lawmakers shows consensus between the government and Majlis in this regard, giving rise to a bright prospect facing them.
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad presented the budget draft of the coming Iranian year (starting March 21) to Majlis on Monday which was greatly welcomed by MPs and experts.
Turning to the reduced reliance of the new year's budget on oil revenues, he said that this is one of its points of strength.
He noted that the new budget draft pays special attention to the activities of the private sector.
Elham said that Iran's diplomacy in the Middle East and towards its neighboring countries is successful, adding that in the course of history, the level of Iran's relations with its neighbors has been unprecedented.
He referred to the failure of US mischiefs aimed at influencing the public opinion of the regional states and said that the Middle East countries are independent in making decisions.
"Neither Iran, nor its neighboring states are worried about each other," added the spokesman.
Elham said that the US is unhappy about expansion of cooperation among the regional countries and attempts to influence it, adding that the vigilance of neighboring states shows that they are taking into view their own problems as well as those of the regional and world.
He pointed to security cooperation among regional states and noted that according to the decision of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC), aggression against any of Islamic countries is equivalent to antagonizing all of them.
In response to a question about the recent decisions of European Union member states on Iran, he recommended them to avoid hasty decisions taken under the US influence, given that such decisions will not be in their interest.
Meanwhile, Elham recommended Europe to take a rational and lawful approach.
"There is still the opportunity and ground for taking rational steps through which it is possible to return to the regulations and framework of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)," he added.
Elham also said that pressures and sanctions will have no impact on the will of the Iranian people, adding that the national will underlines the need to complete and develop the nuclear fuel cycle.
He said that this is required for the country's development, saying that the trend cannot be stopped.
Concerning the possibility of nuclear equipment sanction by Europe, he questioned whether European states sold nuclear parts so far that they have decided to impose sanction.
Replying to another question about the attack of US forces on Iran's consulate in the city of Erbil in northern Iraq, he said that it was contradictory to international laws on diplomatic rights and violation of the rights of the Iraqi independent state.
He said that such measures aim to damage Iraq's government and referring to the efforts of Iraqi officials to release the kidnapped Iranian diplomats, he hoped that the US will come up with a reasonable decision and that it will avoid any further decisions.
Iran-Elham |
