Leader’s Adviser: Iran Will Not Retreat from Nuclear Rights

“We remain committed to what we have negotiated in Geneva, but we will not retreat an iota from our nuclear rights,” Ali Akbar Velayati, a top international adviser to Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, told reporters on the sidelines of the 6th meeting of the Islamic Awakening Supreme Council here in Tehran on Monday.

He once again stressed that Iran’s entire nuclear activities are under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), and noted, “Any measure that Iran has taken in connection with the nuclear issue has been in the sphere of peaceful use of the nuclear energy.”

Iran is a signatory to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and has repeatedly declared opposition to nuclear weapons.

The US and some other countries, however, have repeatedly accused Iran of pursuing non-civilian objectives in its nuclear energy program. Iran has categorically rejected the allegations, arguing that it only seeks nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.

To set the stage for the settlement of the dispute over the Islamic Republic’s nuclear energy program, Tehran and the Group 5+1 (the five permanent UN Security Council members plus Germany) reached a deal on November 24, 2013 after days of intense negotiations in the Swiss city of Geneva.

Based on the interim deal (the Joint Plan of Action), the world powers agreed to suspend some non-essential sanctions and to impose no new nuclear-related bans in return for Tehran's decision to suspend its 20% enrichment for a period of six months.

The breakthrough deal, which has come into effect since January 20, also 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.

In the meantime, a February report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) stated that Iran has remained committed to a nuclear deal it signed with the six major world powers in Geneva last November.

The IAEA report confirmed that Iran is thus far following the terms of the six-month deal, reducing stockpiles of enriched uranium and granting unprecedented access.

“The measures implemented by Iran and the further commitments it has undertaken represent appositive step forward,” the report said.