IRAN: Iran had no intention of developing an atom bomb and the nuclear weapons era had now passed into history, Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad told a crowded press conference at the UN headquarters yesterday.
"The bottom line is we do not need a bomb, unlike what others think," he said. "The time for nuclear bombs has ended." He pointed out that the possession of nuclear weapons by the Soviet Union had failed to ensure its survival as a state.
The nuclear capacity of the US had failed to prevent the 9/11 attacks and Israeli nuclear weapons had been useless against the Palestinian intifada. As Muslims, the Iranian government could not possess such weapons: "In our country, it is not permissible."
Mr Ahmadinejad said that the US had been hostile to Iran for the past 27 years, since the overthrow of the Shah, whose regime had the support of Washington.
"We have been under siege almost from the first day," he said.
Iran had provided the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) with "the largest number of documents any country had ever given". He added: "I am at a loss to understand what else we need to do to provide further guarantees."
Meanwhile, the US possessed "an immense nuclear arsenal" and was developing a new generation of nuclear weapons. "What have they done to destroy their nuclear weapons and who inspects their programme?" he asked. Answering a further question about Iran's nuclear programme, he said: "For over 27 years we feel under attack . . . We have not hidden anything, we are working within the framework of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty."
He had invited journalists to view Iran's facilities. "If you come to Iran, you can go and see for yourself," he said, adding: "People even graze their sheep there."
Western countries, in particular, have been concerned that Iran's uranium enrichment programme was part of a process leading to the development of nuclear weapons, but Mr Ahmadinejad refused to indicate when the programme might be suspended, if at all.
"We will tell you when the time arrives," he said.
He was also asked repeatedly to clarify his reported call to wipe Israel off the map. Avoiding a direct answer, Mr Ahmadinejad responded: "We love everyone around the world - Jews, Christians, Muslims, non-Jews, non-Christians, non-Muslims."
He said this question came up a lot and suggested that a "strong Zionist lobby" was behind it. "These Zionists are not Jews. Zionists are Zionists, period."
In the course of answering another question, he denied being anti-Semitic. "I am not anti-Jew," he said. "I respect them very much."
Meanwhile, in an address to the General Assembly, Lebanese president Emile Lahoud told delegates: "I stand before you, representing a terribly wounded country, a country whose ordeal is well known to you - my ravaged country, Lebanon."
Criticising the tardiness of the UN in responding to the crisis last July, he said: "Regretfully, the United Nations Security Council looked powerless in its attempts to stop the slaughter of Lebanon's children and protect peace in Lebanon and the Middle East."
Noting that it had taken more than a month and numerous calls for an immediate ceasefire for all those concerned to reach a mere cessation of hostilities, he added: "It becomes self-evident for us to question the 'credibility of the United Nations'."