‘Iran, US can work for nuke-free ME’

An international lawyer says Iran and the United States can work together to denuclearize the Middle East, adding that a nuke-free region will benefit both countries.

Alfred Lambremont Webre told Press TV in an interview on Saturday that Tehran and Washington have always called for a Middle East free from nuclear weapons.

œSo this is a time that [US] President [Barack] Obama, who is firmly committed to nuclear non-proliferation, and Iran can come together, and for the first time in 40 years create the conditions for [the creation of] a nuclear weapons-free Middle Eastern zone,” he said.

The lawyer added that Israel must sign the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and begin to “de-acquiesce” its own nuclear weapons cache.

Webre noted that Iran™s position – underscored by President Hassan Rouhani – that the Zionist regime of Israel must join the NPT is œentirely consistent with Mr. Obama™s position and the position of the United States.”

œSo I think that this is an opportunity for President Rouhani, which he suggested; and for President Obama because it™s in his interests to pursue nuclear non-proliferation to make [a] … comprehensive agreement [and] finally [achieve the goal of creating a] … nuclear weapons [free zone in the] Middle East,” he stated.

In an address to the UN Disarmament Conference in New York on September 26, President Rouhani said Israel is the only party in the Middle East that has not signed the NPT.

Rouhani noted that the Israeli regime must immediately join the treaty, which aims to put nuclear weapons under international controls and prevent their proliferation.

Israel is the only possessor of nuclear weapons in the Middle East, with an estimated 200-400 nuclear warheads.

The Israeli regime rejects all regulatory international nuclear agreements, particularly the NPT, and refuses to allow its nuclear facilities to come under international regulatory inspections.

KA/HGH/SS