- "The Islamic Republic of Iran is prepared to transfer the experience, knowledge and technology of its scientists," the Iranian top leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei told visiting Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, referring to Iran's controversial nuclear technology. In particular countries like Sudan, ideologically very close to Iran, could expect a transfer of nuclear technology, if interested.
Sudan's President al-Bashir is currently on an official visit to Tehran, where he is meeting with the Iranian leadership. Sudan and Iran for a long time have nurtured special ties, being the two only countries in the world with Islamist regimes.
The promise of Iranian technology transfers in the nuclear sector was made in a meeting between President al-Bashir and his Iranian counterparts, Ayatollah Khamenei and President Mahmud Ahmadinejad. The Sudanese leader is the first Head of State to visit Iran since the Islamist state resumed its nuclear programme, contrary to orders from the UN Security Council, causing widespread concern Iran is indeed secretly building an atomic bomb.
President al-Bashir went far in supporting Iran's nuclear programme. The Sudanese leader congratulated the Iranian religious leader for the country's successful uranium enrichment, saying "Iran's capability and progress is, in fact, an increase in the power of the Islamic world." His remarks were broadcast on Iran's state-run television.
Ayatollah Khamenei answered the politeness by assuring his Sudanese colleague that Iran's nuclear technology would be made available to the Islamic world. Sudan and most Arab countries are signatory-states to the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty, making such a technology transfer legal if the purpose is the peaceful use of nuclear technology - not the development of bombs.
The Khartoum government already last month announced that Sudan needed to look for new energy sources, not excluding nuclear power. According to calculations done by the government of the oil-rich country, Sudan may experience an acute lack of power latest in about 25 years if other power sources are not developed.
Following its 11 April announcement of a successful uranium enrichment, the Iranian government faces a threat of international sanctions if it does not stop its nuclear programme. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has not been provided with enough proof to assure that Iran's nuclear programme is exclusively peaceful.
Also Sudan is in the focus of Western governments for its alleged attempts to spread the Islamist revolution and already faces UN sanctions over war crimes committed in Darfur. President al-Bashir during the last five years has toned down Sudan's Islamist profile and limited open support to Islamist movements abroad.
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