The events of recent days once again put the nuclear plans of Iran on the headlines of world media. Ahmadi Nejad’s announcement that Iran has successfully enriched uranium and completed the production cycle of nuclear fuel, and that now Iran has joined the “world nuclear club”, was broadly reacted to, both internally and internationally. In the recent years and in the course of disputes about Iran’s nuclear policies, the Tudeh Party of Iran has always stressed that peaceful use of nuclear energy is the indisputable right of Iran and all other countries of the world, and that the only objective of any international bullying is to satisfy the short- and long-term interests of imperialism in the region. Based on the positions that Iranian regime’s officials have adopted, it seems that Islamic Republic, through the recent actions and announcements, is seeking to dumbfound International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Security Council of the UN and to force a change in the international approach towards Iran on this issue. “Even though we’ve announced that now we are one of the nuclear nations, they still keep opposing us; however, since the 9th of April the international and political circumstances have changed in favour of Iran”, said Mahmoud Ahmadi Nejad (quoted from ISNA). The aforementioned announcement by Ahmadi Nejad, one day prior to El Baradei’s visit to Iran, has been commented on by a number of foreign analysts as Iran’s response to El Baradei’s efforts to reduce the tension. Upon arrival of El Baradei and following his talks with Iranian officials, the media reported the failure of El Baradei’s efforts to convince Iran to freeze its enrichment activities. According to “Emrouz” websit and the news broadcast by ISNA, “El Baradei urged Iran to suspend its uranium enrichment to gain international trust, but Ali Larijani stipulated that such a proposition is not logical and is not acceptable.” In a quick reaction to this news, on Thursday April the 13th Condoleezza Rice, the US Secretary of State said that it was time to seriously deal with Iran’s government and that the US would seek the Security Council’s review of all the potential alternatives and possibilities [including military action] in its next meeting, based on the 7th chapter of its regulations, to confront Iran’s policies and to force Iran to submit to the Security Council demands. A number of international political figures, such as the chair of foreign affairs commission of Russia’s Duma, are concerned about the intensification of the current crisis and have said that with decisive rejection of “the proposals offered in the statement of the Security Council of the UN by top Iranian authorities, …the future developments and events might lead to the worse case scenario and force the Security Council to impose international sanctions upon Iran by passing a resolution against Iran.”
The issue of acquiring nuclear enrichment technology for peaceful use is a national matter, is the right of any developing country, but more important is how to deal and cooperate with the international community to facilitate the realization of this right. Besides this issue, a serious predicament that our nation is facing is that the warmongers ruling the US in attempt to secure their strategic dominance over the Persian Gulf region and its abundant energy resources will try to take advantage of these series of events in favour of their own interests. The threat of military intervention and attack in this region is nothing new, as the American political leaders have, in the past, stated this as a possibility and one of the alternatives in their policies. What makes us seriously worried is a series of statements and reactions, and irresponsible and provocative threats made by reactionary circles on both sides of this dangerous stand-off.
We have repeatedly stated, in the past months, that the road to securing the national interests of Iran does not have to pass through widening/ spread of the political crisis in the region and referring of Iran’s file to the Security Council. This policy of playing a dangerous game with national sentiment and long-term interests of the country instead of striving to achieve peace and sustain it in the region cannot be a sound policy serving the interests of our country.
We have also pointed out that promoting these policies inside the country is only a disguise for a series of anti-popular policies whose goal is to suppress the movement and the reform process, while stabilizing the reactionary regime and reverting the developments to the times that no opposition was tolerated and reactionaries were driving ahead their policies in various arenas with full power, through atrocious repression. There is no doubt that implementing any adventurous and apprehensive policy, under the cover of national interests, could have dreadful impacts on our country. The bitter events in Iraq, including many years of economic sanction and later on the devastating war and occupation of the country by imperialism forces that has led to the killing of tens of thousands of innocent human beings and the destruction of large portions of the country, is an experience that no patriotic or peace-loving force can wish for its recur in Iran. The Tudeh Party of Iran warns about the vulnerable conditions of the region and calls upon all the national political forces to mobilize the public opinion around revealing the extensive danger that is threatening our nation, independence and integrity, and to prevent implementation of policies that put regional peace and our national interests in danger. Once again we clearly state that we strongly oppose any form and shape of political or military intervention by foreign forces in Iran’s internal affairs. As was clearly expressed in the past, we see the way out of the current crisis in avoiding any tense, retort and hostile encounters. We have to stay away from any step that might increase the risk of war and clash. We believe the way to secure our national interests is to gain and strengthen the international trust, and responsible cooperation with IAEA and other international bodies.
We call upon the public opinion around the globe to defend the Iranian peoples’ struggle for democracy, human rights and social justice, we urge all the progressive and peace-loving forces to raise their protest voice against warmongering slogans.
From “Nameh Mardom” Editorial – Central Organ of the Tudeh Party of Iran – 13th April 2006
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