According to Khabar Online's political correspondent based on a report by the Iranian website '24', as U.N. spokesman Martin Nesirky denied what Iran said is the remarks of Mr. Ban Ki-moon in his meeting with Iran's Supreme Leader, the office of Mr. Velayati made an statement quoting U.N. Secretary-General addressing Ayatollah Khamenei as follows:
"As a supreme leader and also religious leader of not only Iran, but also this region, you can play crucially important role."
"You have been playing your important role in the situation in Lebanon and Iraq. I know you are very much concerned for situation in Bahrain."
"These are all the areas that Iran has been playing and will continue to play an important role."
“I like to focus on one area today, on Syria. One of my main purposes of coming to meet you is to ask you to exercise maximum influence in resolving this crisis in Syria. I think in this region, only Iran can play this crucially important role....»
Mr. Ban arrived in Tehran on Wednesday for a three-day visit to attend a meeting of some 120 non-aligned nations. He defied calls from the United States and Israel to boycott the event, Reuters reported.
The United States, which along with other western nations has been extremely wary of Iran's efforts to solve the Syria crisis, said that it agreed Tehran has a role to play.
It could have been more appropriate for the U.N. officials to take Iran’s leader’s advice and did not voice the U.S. officials’ viewpoint in denying the remarks made by Mr. Ban Ki-moon in Tehran.
Nesirky had also quoted U.N. Secretary-General as saying in Tehran: "Iran needed to take concrete steps to address the concerns of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and prove to the world its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes."
The West powers, above them the United States claim Iran's nuclear program is aimed to produce atomic weapons, but the Islamic Republic has repeatedly rejected such allegation stressing that as a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), Iran has focused its nuclear activity on civilian purposes including medical research and electricity production.
‘24’ added: “In the meantime, not pleased with holding NAM summit in Tehran, the BBC questioned what Mr. Velayati, former Iran’s Foreign Minister described as Mr. Ban’s words, including calling Ayatollah Khamenei leader of the Islamic world. ”
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