Iran/Turkey

Erdogan accuses Security Council of hypocrisy over Iran

Article published on the 2009-10-26 Latest update 2009-10-27 10:48 TU

Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara last week.
(Photo: Reuters)

The Turkish Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has criticised the ongoing pressure on Iran because of its nuclear programme. Erdogan described the fears of Iran using nuclear resources for military ends as "gossip".

In an interview with the Guardian newspaper, Erdogan said the countries that are tackling Iran on the issue "have very strong nuclear infrastructures and they don't deny that," adding that "the permanent members of the UN Security Council all have nuclear arsenals."

"Although Iran doesn't have a weapon, those who say Iran shouldn't have them are those countries which do," he said.

On Monday Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said the possibility of shipping uranium from Iran for conversion into fuel was still being considered.

A four-person team of UN experts is due to conduct checks on Iran's second uranium enrichment plant during the second day of its visit.

Erdogan said that he accepted that Iran's nuclear work was peaceful and that he was concerned about outside threats to Iran.

"On the one hand you say you want global peace," he said, while "on the other hand you are going to have such a destructive approach to a state which has 10,000 years of history."