FM Stresses Necessity to Recognize Iran’s N. Rights in Final Deal
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif once again reminded the West that any final agreement on Tehran’s peaceful nuclear program should recognize the undeniable nuclear rights of the Iranian nation.
“The West should know that Iran will only accept an agreement that recognizes the Iranian nation’s nuclear rights,” Zarif said at a joint press conference with High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton, here in Tehran on Sunday.
The minister reiterated that Iran and the Group 5+1 (the five permanent UN Security Council members plus Germany) can reach a final deal over Tehran’s nuclear case within the next 4 or 5 months, or even sooner.
He further reassured the West that Iran, with its peaceful nuclear program, would never pursue nuclear weapons.
Zarif also stated that apart from the prospect of the nuclear negotiations between Tehran and the Group 5+1 (also known as P5+1 or E3+3), he has discussed other issues with the visiting EU official this morning, including the Syrian crisis, Afghanistan and the challenges the region is facing.
Catherine Ashton, for her part, hailed the opportunity to take a deeper look at the issues of mutual interest during her visit to Tehran, and said they discussed the dire situation in Syria, the future of Afghanistan, the challenges of narcotics, as well as the potential of human rights status in the future.
She further commented on the global view on an interim nuclear deal between Iran and the six major world powers with an upbeat tone, and expressed the hope that the ultimate success would be achieved with the Iranian nation’s support for the country’s team of nuclear negotiators.
Ashton arrived in Tehran on Saturday to be the first EU high-ranking official to visit Iran in 6 years, following her predecessor’s trip to Iran in 2008.
Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Seyed Abbas Araqchi welcomed Ashton and her accompanying team upon their arrival in Tehran.
During her stay in Tehran, she is also scheduled to hold a meeting with President Hassan Rouhani.
Ashton liaises with Iran on behalf of the six world powers in diplomatic efforts related to Tehran's peaceful nuclear case.
Iran and the world powers wrapped up their latest round of nuclear talks in the Austrian capital on February 20.
In the meantime, the two sides are gearing up for a meeting of political directors on March 17, following the negotiations among technical experts which are now underway in Vienna.
The whole talks are aimed at resolving the West’s decade-long standoff over Iran’s peaceful nuclear activities.
On November 24, 2013, the two sides signed an interim six-month deal on Tehran’s nuclear program in the Swiss city of Geneva.
The breakthrough deal (the Joint Plan of Action), which has come into effect since January 20, stipulates that over the course of six months, Iran and the six countries will draw up a comprehensive nuclear deal which will lead to a lifting of the whole sanctions on Iran.