BBC Monitoring Quotes From Iranian Press 27 May 2007

The following is a selection of quotes from editorials and commentaries published in 27 May 2007 editions of Iranian newspapers available to BBC Monitoring at 0530 gmt.

Iran/US

Hamshahri [conservative]: “Certainly the departure of the occupiers from Iraq is a very good starting point to secure the country and it seems that with the help of regional countries security will come back to Iraq… Iranian negotiators should remind the spirits of international rules to their American counterparts.”

Tehran-e-Emruz [conservative]: “America has become more radical against Iran, Iraq and Muslims after it accepted to enter talks with Iran… American rulers openly and publicly oppose the legal government of Maliki and are trying to overthrow it… The main source of insecurities in Iraq is the presence of American military forces in the country.”

Resalat [conservative]: “There are no sign of even temporary relations between Iran and America ahead of negotiations tomorrow in Baghdad… The White House cannot ask Iran to catalyze the departure of American forces from Iraq’s quagmire and we cannot expect that historic opportunities be created tomorrow at the negotiations because Iran does not need any opportunities created by America… The Baghdad negotiations are the best place to recognize America’s weak and vulnerable points.”

Nuclear issue

E’temad-e Melli [reformist]: “The issuance of different resolutions against Iran’s nuclear activities will not be limited just to Tehran and it will include other countries that want to enter the production of nuclear fuel. Countries like Israel, India, Pakistan, Cuba and Brazil that are not members of the NPT are free to do whatever they want and enrich uranium. Considering the thriving market of nuclear fuel in the world, the countries that enjoy veto right are more worried about the entrance of new competitors into the market than the production of nuclear weapons.”

Sharq [reformist]: “Many western strategists believe that the repetition of the Iraq experience on Iran is not possible and Washington prefers to increase international pressures on Iran in order to force Tehran to change its nuclear behaviour. So the military confrontation of Iran and America is unlikely to happen.”

E’temad [reformist]: “Iranian politicians believe that increasing the number of centrifuges gives them more bargaining power to get more concessions in their talks with the west. We have to wait and see whether this policy can create a better political situation for Iran in the international community or it will add to what the UNSC called Iran’s violations.”

Majlis

Jam-e Jam [conservative]: “The lack of a defined strategic policy regarding relations between the Majlis and the government has created an atmosphere in which the two bodies have confronted each other several times. This should be corrected in the last year of the Majlis term.”

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