Iran to use oil as a weapon

TEHERAN—Iran would consider using oil as a weapon and denial of access to international nuclear inspectors if the United Nations Security Council is pressurised by the US and allies to impose sanctions against it merely on suspicion that it is manufacturing weapons of mass destruction, asserts Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
In an exclusive interview with Khaleej Times, President Ahmadinejad said Iran like other countries had the right to pursue peaceful uses of nuclear energy and no nation could dictate to it. There was no question of Iran using nuclear energy for making weapons as the country was governed by Islamic principles which prohibited production or use of nuclear weapons.
On the Bush administration dubbing Iran as a part of an “Axis of Evil” and the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan in his opening address to the latest UN General Assembly session warning about the spread of nuclear weapons and terrorism, Ahmadinejad said: “Look at the tough language that the American government use in their relations with other countries. Our religion prohibits us from having nuclear arms and our religious leader has prohibited it from the point of view of religious law. Its a closed road. I Insist we don’t need nuclear arms and our laws don’t allow us to produce them. We are always acting in accordance with International law.”
Alluding to the US government’s suspicion that Iran is stirring up violence in Iraq against US and Coalition Forces, the President said Washington has levelled all sorts of allegations but had not produced any documentary proof. “If there is insecurity in Iraq, the first ones to suffer from it are the neighbouring countries like Iran. We consider there is a direct link between the lack of security in Iraq and the continuation of the occupation. The pretext for the continuation of occupation is lack of security. We wish security comes back to the area as soon as possible.” Parrying a query whether withdrawal of US troops from Iraq would result in a civil war, Ahmadinejad said the American Army should assume many more responsibilities for ensuring security there as the explosions and acts of terrorism had created a distinct feeling of insecurity among the people.
He dismissed accusations that Iran was protecting Al Qaeda and pointed out that “Al Qaeda is sure the enemy of Iran, they killed 11 Iranian diplomats. We have always wished to destroy them. These are the most dangerous enemies for us.” He said Iran had made four important points at the latest UN summit: stressing our rights to pursue and have nuclear energy, acceptance of all the points and agreements of the International Atomic Energy Agency, underlining the right of all countries to develop peaceful uses of nuclear energy and the creation of a special committee to control the proliferation of nuclear weapons and the continuation of such talks within the framework of the International Atomic Energy Agency.—INP