Israel has nukes, but Iran is pressured: Erdogan

Press TV

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 23:36:11 GMT

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan says Iran's nuclear rights should be respected and it is only a rumor that Iran is trying to produce nuclear weapons.

Speaking before meeting British Prime Minister Gordon Brown in London on Tuesday, Erdogan also questioned why countries like Israel did not face calls from the international community to disarm, while Iran did.

"It's only rumors that Iran is making nuclear weapons," Erdogan told the BBC, speaking through an interpreter.

"I believe it is Iran's most natural right to employ nuclear energy for civilian purposes," AFP quoted the Turkish premier as saying.

He added that countries with nuclear weapons "are not in a position to turn to another country and to say: 'Oh, you are not supposed to produce nuclear weapons.'"

"Take Israel. Israel possesses nuclear weapons. Why aren't other countries warning Israel to dispose of her nuclear weapons but they're doing the same to Iran?" he asked.

Ankara has repeatedly called for a diplomatic solution to the dispute over Iran's nuclear program.