Cleric Highlights Iran’s Red Lines in Nuclear Talks
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – A top Iranian cleric outlined the main red lines in the nuclear negotiations between Iran and world powers, urging the country’s parliament to pass a law requiring those necessities observed in a possible agreement.
Addressing a large congregation of worshippers in Tehran, Ayatollah Seyed Ahmad Khatami enumerated the red lines the country’s negotiators must take into account in nuclear talks with the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany).
He said a final nuclear deal should have the entire anti-Iran sanctions terminated, and not suspended, as soon as it takes effect.
Among the other principles, the cleric added, are Iran’s rejection of talks “under the specter of threats” and insistence that its nuclear achievements should be safeguarded.
Ayatollah Khatami reaffirmed that no inspection of Iran’s military sites or access to its nuclear scientists for interviews will be ever permissible.
He also made it clear that the commitments under a deal should not be one-sided, meaning that the measures of the other side should be also verifiable.
And the final red line, the cleric noted, is that the negotiations should deal with the nuclear issue alone and discussing any other issue would be deemed “illegitimate.”
He further called on the Iranian parliament to pass a law, making the Iranian officials legally bound to stick to those red lines.
Earlier in May, Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei also stressed that Iran will not allow the inspection of its military sites.
The Supreme Leader ruled out any request for interviews with Tehran’s nuclear scientists, and described it as an instance of “interrogation”.
“I would not let foreigners come (here) and talk to the Iranian nation’s dear scientists... who have expanded this wide knowledge to this stage,” Imam Khamenei explained.
Iran and the six powers have held several rounds of talks in recent months to hammer out a lasting accord that would end more than a decade of impasse over Tehran's civilian nuclear program.
On April 2, Iran and the sextet reached a framework nuclear agreement in Lausanne, Switzerland, with both sides committed to push for a final deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), until the end of June.