IRI advocates nuke-free Middle East – FM

17 January 2012 | 14:57 Code : 1897180 Latest Headlines

IRIB - The Islamic Republic of Iran is the proponent of the Middle East free from nuclear arms, IRI Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said on Monday.

Salehi said in a meeting with Finnish Under Secretary of State Amb Jaakko Laajavaabava that the Middle East countries do not possess nuclear arms except the Zionist regime.

"For many years, the Islamic Republic of Iran advocated the Middle East free from nuclear arms and proved its commitment to Non-Proliferation Treaty. In addition, Iran calls for the entire world to honor the Disarmament Treaty which obliges the nuclear weapons states to disarm," Salehi said.

He said that the Zionist regime has stockpiled nuclear warheads which have jeopardized peace and security of the Middle East and at the same time it has not signed the NPT and refused to allow inspection of its nuclear activities by the UN specialized news agency, IAEA.

Salehi said that the upcoming International Conference on Disarmament in the Middle East must focus on Israeli stockpiles of warheads.

Jaako Laajava, who acts as coordinator of the upcoming Conference on Disarmament in the Middle East due to be held in 2012, offered a report on arrangements made for the conference.