Iran's ambassador to London, Dr Seyed Mohammed Hossein Adeli, received a hostile response from some peace activists while addressing a conference of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament in London on Saturday.
Activists shouted "fascists" as Dr Adeli spoke, but were ejected from the conference. Dr Adeli had been invited by CND to speak on Iran's nuclear programme, which he insisted was for peaceful purposes.
Nasser Ban-Assad, spokesman for the British Ahwazi Friendship Society (BAFS), which works with Ahwazi Arab groups, said: "We share the outrage of some of those who attended the conference and who objected to Dr Adeli's presence. CND is supposed to be against all forms of nuclear technology. Many activists and researchers have proven the link between nuclear energy for civilian purposes and the construction of nuclear warheads as they require similar processes. There is little doubt that Iran intends to build the capacity to produce nuclear weapons under the guise of a civilian nuclear energy programme.
"It is baffling that CND should choose to have a representative of a government heavily involved in the nuclear industry speak at its conference. CND has failed to invite members of Iranian opposition groups, human rights activists and the victims of this violent repressive regime to speak to its members. London has hundreds of Iranian political refugees, but CND has apparently shunned them and silenced those in the audience who heckled Dr Adeli. Many Iranians of all political and ethnic backgrounds will be very disappointed in the behaviour of the peace group's management."
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