Iran Daily


TEHRAN, Feb. 8--Former President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani said here Monday that the globalization trend should be resisted if it is accompanied by further bullying of major powers.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of an International Seminar on Globalization and Muslim Women, he said globalization founded on coercion and intimidation is tantamount to cruelty against humans.

The chairman of the arbitrating body, the State Expediency Council, said the big powers are abusing the globalization process despite strong opposition from various groups across the globe.

"For instance, the big powers created the United Nations after the Second World War to impose the right of veto and pursue their own agendas."

The former president singled out the US for special condemnation and said the "United States is acting as a janitor at he World Trade Organization, and preventing countries opposed to its policies from entering the WTO."

Rafsanjani said the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) was established to help nations benefit from the peaceful use of nuclear energy, whereas the agency is now bullying selected countries.

"Iran's nuclear dossier has been subject to bullying by the IAEA despite the fact that Tehran opened all doors to the inspections by the UN nuclear watchdog," he complained.

He said nuclear allegations against Iran are being hurled
when Israel has stockpiled banned nuclear weapons without any protest or opposition from the IAEA.

He, however, urged cooperation by all countries with the international bodies and the need to uphold international laws to help promote peace and stability in the world.