Dr. Akbar Etemad, the father of Iran's nuclear program, slams the western countries’ hypocrisy over Tehran’s atomic activities and for denying the country its basic right to possess nuclear technology.

[caption id="attachment_5284" align="alignright" width="126"] Dr. Akbar Etemad[/caption]

In an interview with Swiss-German television’s news program Rundschau, Etemad said despite West’s allegations, Iran has never planned to build a nuclear bomb.

Etemad added that the West created the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), but they do not respect it themselves. “The spirit of the Non-Proliferation Treaty is that, as long as you respect your obligation…you have the right to do whatever you want to do in the field of nuclear technology… and Iran’s commitment is not to build a nuclear weapon, and they have not built a nuclear weapon.”

Iran’s former nuclear chief said under the NPT, members are obliged to provide other members with whatever they need, be it technology, materials or equipment. “But they do not give it to Iran, they do not give it to Iran under the pretext that if we give it to you, then you would make a nuclear bomb… I wonder since when in a treaty you base yourself on suspicions. There is the suspicion against Iran, but that is only a suspicion,” he added.

Etemad added that although today Iran has no plan to build a bomb, if the West continues to mount pressure on Tehran, they would push Tehran towards producing nuclear weapon.

“They [Iranians] need to be a power in the Middle East. Israel has the bomb, Pakistan has the bomb. India has the bomb. Russia has the bomb. Around us. If they are really pushed by the Western countries, they would go for the bomb. And I would say they have the right to do it.”

“Why Israel has the right to have a bomb, why Pakistan, why India has the right to have a bomb? And they [Western countries] are collaborating with all these countries? But they have cut all collaboration with Iran on the suspicion that they might make a bomb. That's not fair.”

In answer to a question about allegations that Iran had a military nuclear program before 2003, Etemad said the claims were not true.
“Iran did not have a military nuclear program before 2003,” Etemad said, adding that these claims were made by the US intelligence services.

Iran’s former nuclear chief said Iran has not made the decision to make atomic weapon despite having advanced nuclear technology.
It's like any other country like Germany or Japan. They can make it but they don’t. Because they do not need it. [It is exactly the same in Iran] If they do not need it, they won’t make it, if they need it they would make it. That's quite. Why a country like Iran in Middle East should not have the mean of defending itself?

Etemad, the founder of Iran’s nuclear program, was appointed as the head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization in 1974.