TEHRAN, 8 August 2005 — Iran’s new President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad welcomed Syrian President Bashar Assad in Tehran yesterday, vowing to strengthen ties between the two countries brought together by “shared threats”. “Syria represents the front-line of the Muslim nation, shared threats bring us together and make our cooperation even more necessary,” Ahmadinejad said ahead of talks with the leader of Iran’s leading Arab ally.
“Reinforcing our bilateral relations will protect the region against the threats of its enemies ... our enemies are trying to undermine this relationship,” he said. Iran and Syria both face US sanctions for their alleged sponsorship of terrorism and quest for non-conventional weapons. They also stand accused of playing a spoiling role in their shared neighbor Iraq.
Bashar’s two-day visit is the first by a foreign leader since Ahmadinejad took the oath of office Saturday. “I am happy to have this first meeting with a friend and a defender of the Iranian nation,” said Ahmadinejad, who received Bashar at his Tehran office rather than at the presidential palace. “Questions that concern Syria also concern Iran,” he said.
“Syria and Iran are the two countries that most want stability in the region,” said Bashar. He said their talks would center on “political and security instability” in Iraq as well as on “the expansion of terrorism” in the region and the Middle East peace process, which Assad described as “currently stopped”. “Iran and Syria must have shared views on these questions and these discussions reinforce bilateral relations,” he added.
Meanwhile, Iran insisted yesterday it would resume uranium conversion this week after rejecting EU incentives to end its nuclear fuel work, and said it was not worried about being referred to the UN for possible sanctions. “Although we think referral of Iran’s case to the Security Council would be unlawful and politically motivated, if one day they refer Iran’s case ... we won’t be worried in the least,” said Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi.
Britain, Germany and France, heading nuclear negotiations with Iran for the European Union, have called an emergency meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s board of governors on Tuesday to discuss Iran’s case. The EU trio says it will recommend referring Iran to the Security Council if it goes ahead with plans to break UN seals and resume work at the Isfahan uranium conversion plant.
Iran, which on Saturday rejected an EU package of economic and political incentives designed to persuade it to halt nuclear fuel work for good, says it will restart the Isfahan plant as soon as IAEA surveillance equipment is in place. “The European proposal has no value,” state television quoted Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi as saying. “We will insist on our rights and have decided to resume Isfahan activities as the first step of our measures. This does not mean we will stop negotiations with Europe.”
German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said Iran faced economic sanctions if it refused to accept the EU proposals. “I don’t think anyone at the moment is thinking about a military confrontation,” he told ARD television. “If Iran doesn’t back down, one has to expect it will be referred to the Security Council. If that happens we will be talking about possible sanctions. This would not be good for either side. Therefore I have to say I am very worried by Iran’s apparent decision to choose a course of confrontation.”
Asefi, speaking at a weekly news conference, said IAEA technicians would be at the Isfahan plant on Monday to install additional cameras. He said the 35-page EU proposal, which contained an offer of help with developing a civilian nuclear program, was rejected because it did not recognize Iran’s right to enrich uranium. Iran’s official reply will be delivered to the EU today.
“I suggest that the Europeans avoid the language of threat,” Asefi said. “The only way is to encourage Iran and respect its rights.” Hard-line newspapers declared the EU proposal worthless. “Their proposal is an empty box in beautiful wrapping,” Jomhuri-ye Eslami daily said.
