TEHRAN: A senior Iranian cleric on Friday insisted Tehran was not lying when it said its nuclear programme was peaceful
and said allowing UN inspectors to carry out tighter inspections in Iran would be âhumiliatingâ.
| "We just couldn't stand it. That's the only reason we're being truculent..." |
International concern about Iranâs nuclear ambitions has prompted calls from Washington, the European Union, Russia, Japan and others for Tehran to sign up to more intrusive, short-notice checks of its nuclear facilities by inspectors. Iranâs government, while insisting its nuclear programme is merely aimed at generating electricity, has agreed to study the possibility of tougher inspections. But hardliners in the country have said they are fiercely opposed.
| That's only one of the reasons they call 'em hard-liners... |
âThey want to come to our country and search every hole and everywhere, which would be humiliating and insulting for our country,â Ayatollah Mohammad Emami Kashani, told worshippers at Friday Prayers in Tehran. âThey want to put the country at their mercy,â the cleric, who is a member of the conservative-leaning arbitration body the Expediency Council, said in a sermon broadcast live on state radio. |