Ahmadinejad rebukes nuclear powers during Shanghai visit

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad attends a ceremony at the Shanghai World Expo site on Iran's Pavilion Day

Reuters

By RFI

As Iran threatening to downgrade ties with the UN atomic energy watchdog in response to new UN sanctions targeting its nuclear programme, the country’s President has lashed out at global nuclear powers for keeping atomic technology from other states.

"Nuclear states do not allow others to even peaceful use nuclear energy," Iranian leader Ahmadinejad said during in a speech at an Iranian cultural event in Shanghai.

"Some of them have used destructive bombs. They are the perpetrators of using these weapons but they would prevent others from peacefully using nuclear technology.

"They want to monopolise science and technology for themselves to protect their material interests."

Ahmadinejad chose to visit "Iran Day" at the World Expo site in Shanghai, instead of appearing at a regional security summit in Uzbekistan attended by Chinese and Russian leaders.

China on Wednesday abandoned its close Iranian ally, signing the new round of UN Security Council sanctions hitting Tehran with new military and financial sanctions. Russia also backed the sanctions.

The yes vote in the Security Council by China, which has the power to veto such measures, provoked an angry response from Iran's atomic chief, who warned Beijing it was quickly losing credibility with the Muslim world.

Meanwhile an Iranian official on Thursday warned that Iran could reduce its ties with the International Atomic Energy Agency.

"The majlis (parliament)... will adopt on Sunday a top priority bill which talks of decreasing ties with the IAEA," Esmaeel Kosari, a member of its committee on national security and foreign policy, told Fars news agency.

Ahmadinejad, who arrived in Shanghai on Thursday, is not expected to meet Chinese leaders or visit Beijing during his stay.