Team Infidel
Forum Spin Doctor
USA Today
May 6, 2008
Pg. 4
Iran on Monday rejected pressure to submit to intrusive nuclear inspections while Israel stays outside the global treaty to curb atomic weapons.
"The existing double standard shall not be tolerated anymore by non-nuclear-weapon states," Iranian Ambassador Ali Asghar Soltanieh told a meeting in Geneva of the 190 countries that have signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Soltanieh said nuclear-armed countries such as the United States, France and Britain were practicing "nuclear apartheid" by trying to deny nuclear technology to Iran. The United States said the drive to prevent Iran from getting nuclear bombs is because of Iran's "provocative" activities and the worldwide desire to halt the proliferation of the world's deadliest weapons.
"This treaty regime faces today the most serious tests it has ever faced: the ongoing nuclear weapons proliferation challenges presented by Iran, by North Korea and now by Syria," U.S. envoy Christopher Ford said.
Israel does not discuss whether it has atomic weapons and did not sign the treaty, which requires signatories, except the major powers, to refrain from obtaining nuclear arms. Iran signed the treaty.
May 6, 2008
Pg. 4
Iran on Monday rejected pressure to submit to intrusive nuclear inspections while Israel stays outside the global treaty to curb atomic weapons.
"The existing double standard shall not be tolerated anymore by non-nuclear-weapon states," Iranian Ambassador Ali Asghar Soltanieh told a meeting in Geneva of the 190 countries that have signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Soltanieh said nuclear-armed countries such as the United States, France and Britain were practicing "nuclear apartheid" by trying to deny nuclear technology to Iran. The United States said the drive to prevent Iran from getting nuclear bombs is because of Iran's "provocative" activities and the worldwide desire to halt the proliferation of the world's deadliest weapons.
"This treaty regime faces today the most serious tests it has ever faced: the ongoing nuclear weapons proliferation challenges presented by Iran, by North Korea and now by Syria," U.S. envoy Christopher Ford said.
Israel does not discuss whether it has atomic weapons and did not sign the treaty, which requires signatories, except the major powers, to refrain from obtaining nuclear arms. Iran signed the treaty.