Tehran-Friday Prayers-Rafsanjani
Tehran Friday prayers substitute leader Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani said here hegemonic powers have laid a new trap against the Islamic Republic of Iran.

He was referring to a statement by an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) official who has said the Agency has received new information from 10 countries about Iran's nuclear activities.

Ayatollah Rafsanjani said Iran, in the past few months, has had a very good cooperation with IAEA which has an arbitrary role in Iran's nuclear activities.

"Iran has answered IAEA's questions on the current operational tasks and the Agency announced that it has not seen any deviation in Iran's nuclear activities," the Ayatollah said.

Referring to US claims against Iran's peaceful nuclear activities and IAEA's deputy director general's yesterday statement who said they have received information on Iran from 10 countries, Ayatollah Rafsanjani said, "It is obvious that they are not looking for such information but want to proceed in a way to be able to get more excuses."
"They did the same in the past and caused trouble for us and for themselves. If the Agency continues in this way, it will lose its credibility among its members.

"Our only fault is trespassing the forbidden zone of the hegemonic powers and achieving the peaceful nuclear technology," the Ayatollah said.

He advised the US and other western countries to quit seeking excuses against Iran and hold negotiations without any preconditions and threats.

"Such illogical preconditions, threats and bullying make Iran not to be able to cooperate with them," added Ayatollah Rafsanjani.

On regional developments, Ayatollah Rafsanjani referred to recent agreement between Lebanese groups and urged the Lebanese to be committed to it and not turn it into conflict and another opportunity for the enemy and especially Israel.

On Iraq, he said the main cause of all problems in that country is the presence of the occupiers.

"People of Iraq should not fall into the US trap and recognize its occupation for any reason," Ayatollah Rafsanjani said.

On internal affairs, the substitute leader of the Friday prayers referred to the opening of new majlis in Iran and expressed hope that the new deputies would be sensitive to the immediate and important needs of the Revolution.