Iran’s hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Thursday mocked countries that are against Iran’s controversial nuclear programme as suffering from mental problems, the ISNA student news agency said.
”Those [countries] who get upset at the happiness and progress of others are suffering from a mental problem and therefore should find a way to cure themselves,” Ahmadinejad told a rally in the town of Zarandieh in the Markazi province.
”We have repeatedly said that we do not have any conflict with others, but will do our best to get our rights,” he added.
On Wednesday, Ahmadinejad ridiculed a European Union plan to offer trade and technology incentives in exchange for his country agreeing to halt sensitive nuclear work.
”They say they want to give us incentives. They think they can take away our gold and give us some nuts and chocolate in exchange,” Ahmadinejad told a rally in the town of Arak, the site of a planned heavy water reactor, another source of concern in the West.
European powers are currently drawing up a package they hope will coax Iran into voluntarily curbing its atomic ambitions. Under the draft deal, Russia would enrich uranium on Iran’s behalf, diplomats say.
The offer, which could also include helping Iran acquire a light-water nuclear reactor, was to have been reviewed on Friday in London by the five permanent United Nations Security Council members plus Germany, but the meeting was postponed by about 10 days. — AFP
