Iran tells developing states to fight world-power bias

IRAN: Iran’s president called on Tuesday for developing nations to unite to fight what he said was bias shown by the U.N. Security Council and other world bodies that only serve the big powers’ interests.

Iran wants to broaden its international support in a row over its nuclear plans with Western capitals, which President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says manipulate the Security Council and other bodies to act against the Islamic Republic.

The Council has imposed three rounds of limited sanctions on Iran for its refusal to halt sensitive atomic work, which the West says is aimed at making nuclear bombs but Tehran insists is designed to meet electricity needs. Ahmadinejad accused world powers of trying to deny others peaceful nuclear energy while they stockpiled atomic weapons.

“The major powers are on a descending course. The extent of their influence drops day by day. They are approaching the end of their era,” Ahmadinejad told a Non-Aligned Movement meeting.

NAM, now with 118 members plus observers, was set up in 1961 to group many newly independent nations which wanted to avoid being caught up in the Cold War between Moscow and Washington. It has struggled to stay relevant since the Soviet Union fell.

“Any measure to change the world conditions and realise the joint interests of member states will not be possible except through effective efforts and collective cooperation of member states,” Ahmadinejad told the ministerial meeting in Tehran.

He said the group together “can defend and repel aggression against any member subjected to aggression, and obstruct the violation by major powers of other countries.”

Ahmadinejad called for an “arbitration council” that could resolve any disputes between NAM members as well as others, and a fund to back development in NAM but did not give details.

Ahmadinejad said the Security Council would never issue a resolution against the United States, Iran’s arch-foe, as long as Washington, like four other big powers, had a permanent seat. The permanent council members have veto powers.

Tehran, Tuesday, Reuters