The South African government has called for a peaceful resolution to the impasse surrounding Iran’s nuclear programme, following a meeting between President Thabo Mbeki and Iranian Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council Hassan Rouhani on Wednesday, the government news agency, BuaNews reported on Thursday.
The agency said the two leaders met ”to discuss wide ranging issues including developments relating to Iran’s nuclear programme and its consideration in the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)”.
South Africa’s Foreign Affairs deputy Director-General Abdul Minty explained that South Africa, as a member of the board of governors of the IAEA, had been active on the nuclear issue and believed that a confrontation should be avoided and a solution be sought urgently.
BuaNews reported that many countries had expressed concern at Iran’s nuclear programme, leading to some wishing to refer the matter to the United Nations Security Council.
”A solution should be possible by finding a balance between the rights of NPT [Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty] members to [use] nuclear technology for peaceful purposes and the need to build international confidence,” Minty was reported as saying.
South Africa would be interacting intensively with all parties concerned and working for a satisfactory solution, BuaNews reported.
United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan has repeatedly called on Iran to co-operate with the IAEA to avoid confrontation, the agency noted. – I-Net Bridge