Published on October 05, 2005

The Iranian ambassador to Thailand yesterday urged the government to remain neutral amid disputes between Iran and a UN nuclear watchdog and not be swayed by Western media, whom he accused of being biased against his country.

Ambassador Mohsen Pakaein reiterated his government’s position that Iran’s nuclear programme was solely for peaceful purposes.

He cited the use of nuclear energy in Iran’s agricultural sector and added that although Iran is rich in oil and natural gas, oil reserves could be depleted in 20 years’ time.

“We have to think of an alternative energy source,” he said.

Pakaein was speaking to a group of Thai reporters at his residence.

“My message for Thailand is to follow the news through independent sources, not some media that work for particular purposes,” said Pakaein.

Iran is in a diplomatic stand-off with the UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Western countries over its nuclear programme, which the US believes is a cover for the country’s development of nuclear weapons.

On September 25, the Vienna-based IAEA found Iran to be in non-compliance and passed a resolution threatening to send Iran to the UN Security Council for possible sanctions for violating international nuclear obligations.

The resolution, drafted by EU states Britain, France and Germany, cites Iran for having resumed nuclear fuel cycle operations it had voluntarily suspended to show its nuclear intentions were peaceful.

On bilateral issues, the ambassador expressed a desire to see more cooperation in various areas, particularly the energy sector, citing existing ventures between Thailand, Iran and Japan in oil exploration in the Persian Gulf as well as collaborations with China in making a communication satellite as examples.

The envoy described Thailand as “one of our friendly countries” but said Tehran was “disturbed” by Thailand’s dispatching troops to Iraq to work with the US-led multinational forces.

“Fortunately, it withdrew the troops soon afterwards,” he said.

On the tourism front, Iran recently issued a new regulation that permits visas on arrival for Thai citizens.

The two countries will celebrate the 50th anniversary of bilateral relations on November 25. Exhibitions and seminars on relations between the two countries are in the pipeline, the ambassador said.

Sopaporn Saeung

The Nation

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