R&D, Iran's Red Line in Nuclear Talks: President Rouhani
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Thursday referred to research and development (R&D) as a red line for Iran in its nuclear talks with world powers, reaffirming that the country's negotiating team will stick to the lines set by the Supreme Leader.
"R&D is our red line and the negotiators are well aware of the red lines," Rouhani said in Tabriz, northwest of Iran.
The Government is committed to the guidelines set by the Supreme Leader and will not sign any deal (with world powers) that would give foreigners access to the country's scientific and military secrets, he added.
Referring to the Additional Protocol of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) which gives the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) access to the country's nuclear facilities, Rouhani stressed that the government is responsible for implementing the protocol, but it will not deviate from the red lines in this regard.
Earlier on April 9, Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei categorically rejected foreign access to Iran's "security and defensive" sectors under the pretext of nuclear monitoring.
Iran and Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany) have been negotiating to hammer out a lasting accord that would end more than a decade of impasse over Tehran's peaceful nuclear program.
In their latest round of talks, on April 2, the two sides reached a framework nuclear agreement after more than a week of intensive negotiations in Lausanne, Switzerland, with both sides committed to push for a final, comprehensive accord until the end of June.
The framework provides a series of solutions that will be the basis of a comprehensive joint plan of action.