Nuclear Talks Extended after Washington’s Demand: Velayati
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Director of the Strategic Research Center of Iran’s Expediency Council Ali Akbar Velayati said it was the US that demanded for an extension of nuclear talks at the last hour of Vienna talks.
“The Americans had some unjustified demands which caused the negotiations to drag on and this time, too, it was the Americans who said at the last moments that they wanted to extend the talks,” Velayati said Sunday.
He was referring to the latest round of talks between Tehran and the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany) held in Vienna, Austria, over Iran’s peaceful nuclear energy program.
The two sides wrapped up seven days of intensive nuclear talks in the Austrian capital on November 24 without securing a long-awaited comprehensive deal.
They agreed to extend the negotiations for seven more months.
Noting that the nuclear talks will resume in Switzerland in a few days, Velayati underlined that if Iran’s rights are recognized and there are no excessive demands, the problem (on the way of reaching a deal) will be resolved soon.
He highlighted all countries’ right to use nuclear energy, and said Iran seeks to move on this path within the framework of international laws and the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
Nuclear talks between Tehran and the G5+1 (also known as P5+1 or E3+3) are scheduled to resume at the deputy level in Geneva, Switzerland, on Wednesday.