'Iran should be treated like India on N-issues'

Dubai, Aug 2: Accusing the international community of double standards on nuclear policy, Iran has said it too should be treated like India. The Iranian ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Dr Ali Asghar Soltanieh said Iran was bothered by the double standards regarding nuclear activities and demanded that his country should also be treated like India.

Referring to the IAEA Board of Governors yesterday adopting the India-specific safeguards by consensus, he said, ''After this event we will raise our own expectations higher than before so that they put an end to this restrictive statute in the IAEA and the United Nations Security Council.'' ''We have everything in the IAEA and the safeguards should routinised for all. Iran should be dealt with like any other country,'' he said adding that Iran is committed to the international organisations and the NPT. We cannot henceforth tolerate any restrictive statute.

Noting that Iran has been a member of the NPT, while India is a non-signatory to it he said, ''Iran has always supported its family member of the Non-Aligned Movement. We will be happy if everyday we witness India's progress in different areas including the nuclear energy.'' ''They are putting up some civilian facilities under a safeguard regime like the US and other weapon states and now India too is being included. This is while uranium and plutonium enrichment used for nuclear weapons is outside the control of the IAEA. Therefore, this is a serious question,'' he said.

''We do not have a single paper for a legally binding instrument to assure nuclear supply. Therefore, there is no assurance and we have a confidence deficit for nuclear fueled reactors,'' Mr Soltanieh said.

In spite of the IAEA decision on India, Iran will spare no effort to keep its full commitment to the NPT and the IAEA rules, he added.

UNI