Laying the Cards on the Table

No doubt, the US will greet this offer with derision. It would be nice if, for once at least, the US could simply shut up and listen to what the Iranians have to say.

Iran wants to brief U.N. on nuclear plans
Sun Mar 11, 2007 11:31AM EDT

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran said on Sunday President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad wanted to brief the U.N. Security Council about his country's civilian nuclear plans, which the West says are a covert attempt to make atom bombs.

The five permanent members of the Council -- the United States, France, Britain, China and Russia -- plus Germany are considering imposing new sanctions on Iran over its nuclear ambitions, which Tehran insists are entirely peaceful.

"The president of Iran plans to speak in a possible meeting of the Security Council on Iran's nuclear program to defend the right of the Iranian nation to use peaceful nuclear technology," state TV on Sunday quoted government spokesman Gholamhossein Elham as saying, without giving further details.

Iran's IRNA news agency quoted Elham as saying Ahmadinejad planned to attend "if the Security Council has a meeting on Iran's nuclear program." The Foreign Ministry spokesman confirmed the news to reporters but gave no more details.

Iran has ignored United Nations demands that it halt uranium enrichment, a process Western nations say Tehran is mastering so it can produce atom bombs. Iran, the world's fourth biggest oil exporter, insists its aim is nuclear power generation.

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