G8 urges Iran to respect international agreements

G8 leaders pressed Iran for more transparency in its nuclear activities as well as urging it to respect the rule of law and freedom of expression for its citizens.

In their summit, G8 leaders expressed concern over the expansion of nuclear weapons and referred to Iran and North Korea as the main sources of threat in this respect.

In a communiqué, the eight industrial powers who are meeting in Canada this weekend announced: “We are profoundly concerned by Iran's continued lack of transparency regarding its nuclear activities and its stated intention to continue and expand enriching uranium, including to nearly 20 percent.”

The leaders of eight rich nations called on Iran to meet its “international obligations” and to respect the sanctions approved by the UN.

Reuters also reports that the G8 statement also urged all countries to impose all the recent sanctions approved against Iran.

The leaders of Britain, Canada, Japan, France, Germany, Italy, Russia and USA urged the Islamic Republic to respect the rights of its citizens amid a year-long crackdown on opposition supporters who have challenged the legitimacy of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s victory in the 2009 election.

In their statement, the G8 leaders write: “We expect the government of Iran to respect the rule of law and freedom of expression as outlined in the international agreements to which Iran is a party.”

They also state that they are ready to hold further talks with Iran on its nuclear program.

The UN approved a new set of sanctions against Iran on June 9. The US, the European Union and Australia have gone on to approve further unilateral sanctions against Iran which has caused Russia to balk and threaten to back down from its support for the UN sanctions.

The world powers accuse Iran of trying to build nuclear weapons, a charge that has been repeatedly denied by Iran which claims its nuclear program is wholly peaceful.