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BBC MUNDO RADIO
Sat, 26 Sep 2009 15:56:26 GMT
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Defense Secretary Robert Gates says not a chance that Iran gets an apology President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad asked for. |
After Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said the United States owes Iran an apology over attributing a secretive, military nature to the country's nuclear program, the US defense secretary rules out the prospect of any such apology.
Speaking in the Pittsburgh Convention Center on Friday, President Barack Obama called a newly-disclosed Iranian nuclear facility "a direct challenge to the basic foundation of the nonproliferation regime."
He also said that Iran's second enrichment facility -- which will reportedly house up to 3,000 centrifuges -- "is inconsistent with a peaceful (nuclear) program" and demonstrates a "disturbing pattern" of evasion by Iran.
However, Iran's Ahmadinejad was quick to respond to the remarks, saying, "This does not mean we must inform Mr. Obama's administration of every facility that we have."
In an exclusive interview with the editors of TIME, President Ahmadinejad said the claim "simply adds to the list of issues to which the United States owes the Iranian nation an apology over. Rest assured that this will be the case. We do everything transparently."
When asked by an ABC News correspondent if Iran will get an apology after President Ahmadinejad's demand, Defense Secretary Robert Gates replied: "Not a chance."
Gates came out in support of the view that Iran's nuclear program is an expanding weapons program, arguing that "If this were a peaceful nuclear program, why didn't they announce this site when they began to construct it? Why didn't they allow IAEA inspectors in from the very beginning?"
"This is part of a pattern of deception and lies on the part of the Iranians from the very beginning with respect to their nuclear program," he added.
Iran announced the existence of the facility on September 21 in a letter to the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
The IAEA has called for immediate access to the site, believed to be near Iran's central city of Qom.
Iranian officials say the facility will be operational in about two years, adding that it is "legal and open for inspection."
CS/MD
Speaking in the Pittsburgh Convention Center on Friday, President Barack Obama called a newly-disclosed Iranian nuclear facility "a direct challenge to the basic foundation of the nonproliferation regime."
He also said that Iran's second enrichment facility -- which will reportedly house up to 3,000 centrifuges -- "is inconsistent with a peaceful (nuclear) program" and demonstrates a "disturbing pattern" of evasion by Iran.
However, Iran's Ahmadinejad was quick to respond to the remarks, saying, "This does not mean we must inform Mr. Obama's administration of every facility that we have."
In an exclusive interview with the editors of TIME, President Ahmadinejad said the claim "simply adds to the list of issues to which the United States owes the Iranian nation an apology over. Rest assured that this will be the case. We do everything transparently."
When asked by an ABC News correspondent if Iran will get an apology after President Ahmadinejad's demand, Defense Secretary Robert Gates replied: "Not a chance."
Gates came out in support of the view that Iran's nuclear program is an expanding weapons program, arguing that "If this were a peaceful nuclear program, why didn't they announce this site when they began to construct it? Why didn't they allow IAEA inspectors in from the very beginning?"
"This is part of a pattern of deception and lies on the part of the Iranians from the very beginning with respect to their nuclear program," he added.
Iran announced the existence of the facility on September 21 in a letter to the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
The IAEA has called for immediate access to the site, believed to be near Iran's central city of Qom.
Iranian officials say the facility will be operational in about two years, adding that it is "legal and open for inspection."
CS/MD
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