Radical Students' Reaction to Iran's Acceptance of the Additional Protocol - 2003-10-21

Following Iran's acceptance of the Additional Protocol, around 300 radical students from several universities in Tehran staged a sit-in in front of the Saadabad Palace today, lying in the street and chanting slogans in protest against this protocol. The internet site Baztab reported on these protests, stating: 'After the conclusion of negotiations and the announcement of Iran's acceptance of the Additional Protocol and the cessation of the country's nuclear activities, while Philippe Douste-Blazy, the French Foreign Minister, intended to leave the Saadabad complex in his car, more than 300 students who had gathered in front of the Hafeziyeh gate realized that the European ministers intended to exit through the main gate. Immediately, over 50 of them managed to reach the main gate of Saadabad and lay down in the path of his vehicle to express their protest. At this time, with the car changing direction, the French Foreign Minister exited Saadabad through another route.' According to this report, during the press conference of the European ministers and the Secretary of Iran's National Security Council, Hassan Rouhani, the sound of the students' slogans was clearly heard and caused several interruptions in the conference proceedings. Baztab identified these students as being from the universities of Science and Industry, Kharazmi, Amir Kabir, and Imam Sadiq. Meanwhile, after the acceptance of the Additional Protocol and the announcement of the cessation of uranium enrichment by Iran, Hossein Shariatmadari (editor-in-chief of Kayhan) also stated in an interview with ISNA, reiterating the necessity for Tehran to exit the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, that 'accepting the suspension of uranium enrichment with the expectation that the European Union will remain faithful to its commitments and guarantees is a form of naivety, as the Board of Governors of the Agency has shown through its illegal resolution that it is not committed to any treaty, agreement, or pact.' He also expressed the opinion that 'when they blatantly violate international laws, ignore commitments, and even defend their illegal actions, it is very naive for anyone to trust these guarantees.' Over the past months, Shariatmadari has published articles in the influential Kayhan newspaper and conducted multiple interviews, not only calling for Iran not to accept the Additional Protocol but also for the country to exit the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.