… says Nigeria will support peaceful use of nuclear tech
President Muhammadu Buhari, Thursday, said under his watch, Nigeria will continue to support the use of nuclear technology for peaceful purposes and human development only.
Nigeria, the president said, therefore welcomes this week’s agreement between Iran and the six world powers on its nuclear programme.
Iran and six world powers had Tuesday concluded an agreement that will see sanctions on Iran lifted, but strict limits will also be placed on its nuclear programme for more than a decade. The historic agreement was designed to stop the spread of atomic weapons and avert a major new conflict in the Middle East.
The deal, which was concluded in a Vienna hotel after prolonged talks between foreign ministers, binds Iran, the US, UK, France, Germany, Russia and China to a series of undertakings stretching over many
years. As part of the agreement, Iran will dismantle much of its nuclear infrastructure, while the UN, US and EU will take down a wall of sanctions built around Iran over the past nine years.
At a meeting with visiting Iranian Vice President for Executive Affairs, Mohammed Shariatmadari, at the Presidential Villa, President Buhari applauded the agreement, saying that it was a major step
toward ensuring peace and stability in the Middle East.
As a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, Nigeria looks forward to the faithful implementation of the terms of the agreement by all concerned parties, he said.
Buhari, who received an invitation from the Iranian Vice President to attend an upcoming Summit of Gas Exporting Countries in Tehran, noted that it was in the interest of developing countries to maximise the use of their natural resources for the improvement of the living conditions of their people.
Shariatmadari congratulated Buhari on his election and assured him of Iran’s support in the fight against terrorism and violent extremism, saying “the government of President Hassan Rouhani of Iran advocates moderation and departure from any form of extremism.’’
