Bigger Steps Needed to Resolve Iran Nuclear Issue: President
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Wednesday that settlement of some issues on Tehran’s peaceful nuclear program is time-consuming, and stressed the need for “bigger steps” to resolve the issue.
“Much progress has been achieved. However, it is clear that it would not be possible to rapidly resolve the whole issues that have been discussed for 12 years, and the steps in this arena should be bigger,” President Rouhani said in a weekly session of the cabinet on Wednesday.
Pointing to the nuclear talks between Iran and six world powers, Rouhani reiterated that negotiation is the only correct approach to settle the standoff on Tehran’s civilian nuclear work.
“Resolution of some issues in this arena needs time… and God willing, these negotiations will yield results in such a way that would guarantee both the rights and interests of the Iranian nation and the interests of the region and the world,” he added.
His comments came after nuclear negotiators representing Iran and the Group 5+1 (also known as the P5+1 or E3+3) wrapped up the latest round of talks on Tehran’s civilian nuclear program in New York on September 26 without making any tangible progress.
Iran and the six nations (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany) on November 24, 2013, signed an interim nuclear deal in the Swiss city of Geneva.
Based on the interim deal, 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 freeze parts of its nuclear activities.
In July, Tehran and the six countries agreed to extend negotiations until November 24 in the hope of clinching a final deal.