Iran 'not unhappy' with India over Syria vote

Pakistan Telegraph (IANS) Tuesday 7th February, 2012

Iran Tuesday said it was was "not unhappy" over India backing a UN Security Council resolution on Syria, but asked New Delhi to pay more attention to the "realities" of the present and also support other democracies in the world.

"We are not unhappy. But India should give more attention to realities of the present. They should go by their own experience," Iranian Ambassador to India Seyed Mahdi Nabizadeh told reporters here.

"We expect that India should help other democracies of the world (during their troubled times)," the envoy said when asked to comment on India voting in favour of the Arab League-backed UN resolution on Syria.

He, however, added that any resolution or issue supported by the US and Israel is seen as negative in Tehran and stressed that any foreign interference is not in the interests of that country.

Pushing for a Syrian-led political reconciliation process in Syria, India backed the the UN resolution which calls for a "transition to a democratic, plural political system", withdrawal of Syrian military and armed forces from cities and towns, and release of those "detained arbitrarily".

Pitching for reforms of the UN Security Council, the Iranian envoy underlined that Tehran backed New Delhi on this issue as it wanted the council to represent the people, and not governments.

Hitting out at the US and EU sanctions on Iran, the envoy asserted that Tehran has always worked within the framework laid down by the International Atomic Energy Agency on peaceful uses of nuclear energy. He added that Iran allowed IAEA inspectors to check its atomic installations for over 4,000 hours.

"We have been able to convert sanctions into opportunities. We are committed to international obligations...We will not surender our rights," said the envoy on the 33rd anniversary of the Islamic Revolution in Iran.

"We allowed IAEA inspectors. It has not happened in any other country. We have done it. We have always worked within the framework of the IAEA," he said.

Amid speculation about an Israeli strike on the Iranian nuclear facilities, the envoy said: "We think the possibility of attack is weak. Today is not the day when people go to war. But we are ready to defend ourselves. We have experience in defending ourselves. We hope that eventuality will not take place." He warned that if a strike were to occur, it will not be good for the region and will impact the world.

He added that Iran did not want the Strait of Hormuz to be shut, but stressed that in the event of a war, there will be "disruptions".