June 10, 2003	Tuesday	Rabi-us-Sani 9, 1424

MOSCOW, June 9: Israel, backing US fears over Iran’s nuclear programme, called on Monday for closer scrutiny of Tehran’s atomic plans, saying they posed a threat to global security.

“Today they want to develop a nuclear weapon... This is not just a threat for Israel, this is a threat for the whole world,” Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom said after talks in Moscow with his Russian counterpart, Igor Ivanov.

Iran insists its nuclear programme is purely for peaceful purposes, but Washington alleges Tehran wants to develop nuclear arms under the guise of building power reactors with Moscow’s help.

Mr Shalom, on a two-day visit to Russia, focused on Iran at a post-talks news conference, but Mr Ivanov barely mentioned the subject, suggesting that Shalom had made little headway in converting the Russians to his point of view.

Russia has said it will continue to help Iran build its first atomic power plant in Bushehr despite US concerns.

The U.N. nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), has accused Iran of failing to comply with safeguards intended to ensure it does not build an atomic bomb.

“Control over the nuclear process in Iran must be strengthened and the IAEA must ensure proper monitoring,” Mr Shalom was quoted by Russian agencies as saying in separate comments.

APPEAL TO US: Iran’s foreign ministry appealed to Washington to stop using the “language of force”, warning on Monday that US posturing would only undermine the cause of dialogue and strengthen the hand of hardliners in the country.

“We have seen some confusion over Iran within the American leadership, and we hope they will see sense and not use the language of force, because this will have the opposite effect,” spokesman Hami-Reza Asefi told reporters.

“Certain people (in Iran) think that dialogue is a waste of time, and if the pressure becomes too strong, it will strengthen the hand of those against dialogue,” he added.

Mr Asefi’s comments come amid mounting US pressure against Iran’s religious establishment, accused by Washington of seeking to develop nuclear weapons, harbouring Al Qaeda men, sponsoring anti-Israeli militants and meddling in Iraq.

Tehran and Washington cut diplomatic ties after the 1979 revolution, but for several months the two sides have been engaged in discreet talks within a forum initially set up to address the crisis in Afghanistan.—AFP