Voices on Nuclear Arms and Energy: “Positive Proliferation” – His Highness the Aga Khan and President Hassan Rouhani

His Highness the Aga Khan“We are a long way from the democratization of nuclear energy. Maybe I’m naïve but I advocate another approach, which I call “positive proliferation.” The positive proliferation that I would dearly love to see happen is based on a simple principle: yes to energy, no to arms….Iran could even contribute to the worldwide removal of nuclear energy for military use. That is what I told the Iranians several years ago: “Your history is that of an intellectual nation several thousand years old which has brought to Islam all the richness of its culture and its philosophical thought. Keep following the path that is truly your own and the world will thank you for it.” — His Highness the Aga Khan. Please  read complete interview by clicking on “The Power of Wisdom”.

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President Hassan Rouhani“Iran’s nuclear program — and for that matter, that of all other countries — must pursue exclusively peaceful purposes…Nuclear weapon and other weapons of mass destruction have no place in Iran’s security and defense doctrine, and contradict our fundamental religious and ethical convictions. Our national interests make it imperative that we remove any and all reasonable concerns about Iran’s peaceful nuclear program.” — President Hassan Rouhani of the Islamic Republic of Iran, speaking to the United Nations General Assembly on September 24, 2013. For full speech, please click Haaretz.