Publish Date: 12 January 2021 - 13:09

Iran nuclear dispute part of Western hostility: Egyptian diplomat

Tehran, Jan 12, IRNA - An Egyptian diplomat underlined on Tuesday that the Western powers and their Persian Gulf Arab allies neglect Israel's nuclear weapons arsenal and focus on Iran's peaceful nuclear program in order to contain Tehran's power.

Abdullah Al Ashal, former deputy foreign minister, wrote on his Facebook page that certain Arab states of the Persian Gulf have tried to stop the Islamic Revolution of Iran since its onset in 1979, because they accused the Islamic Republic of exporting revolutionary movements to the littoral states of the Persian Gulf; whereas, revolutions are not commodities to be exported to other countries.

The diplomat added that such states considered Iran's nuclear case as a danger for themselves and claimed that the nuclear program exposes their countries to nuclear radiation.

The enmity towards the Islamic Republic of Iran is a principle in the policy of the West, especially the United States, and certain Arab states, al Ashal said, noting that the nuclear case is part of the hostility; so, the 2015 Iran nuclear deal could not finish Western hostility towards the Islamic nation and then, the US tried to change the nuclear accord so that it would contain the Iranians' non-nuclear weapons.

According to the Egyptian analyst, it is apparent that Israel possesses a nuclear arsenal and it has refused to join the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and avoided inspection of its nuclear sites by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

He also asserted that Mohamed El-Baradai, former director-general of the IAEA, said following his 2007 visit to Israel that Tel Aviv has a military nuclear program, but it has the right to utilize it for its survival when it comes to Arab states' possible incursion.

The difference between nuclear programs of Iran and Israel is that the Iranian nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, but the Israeli one has a military nature, Al Ashal stated, noting that the problem is that the West and its regional allies want Iran to succumb to what the US dictates, establish ties with Israel and stop supporting the resistance in the face of global arrogance.

The pressure on Iran aims to prevent the development of Iranian peaceful nuclear activities, control the country's role in the region and decline its missile power; so, the real issue is more expanded than the nuclear case of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and it is about the West's plot to end the Islamic Revolution, the Egyptian diplomat said in conclusion.

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