Iran to Continue Cooperation with IAEA within Technical Frameworks: FM
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said the country will keep cooperating with the International Atomic Energy Agency, but underlined that it will be within purely technical frameworks.
“Iran continues its cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency. However, we insist on preserving such cooperation within purely technical frameworks and keeping the IAEA free from political and selective approaches,” the top diplomat said in a video message released Thursday, ahead of the 44th anniversary of the victory of Iran’s Islamic Revolution.
“Under such a framework, we remain committed to cooperation and negotiation to achieve tangible and practical results to first, secure maximum national interests and second, give care to joint interests with other parties,” he added.
Following are excerpts from his remarks, according to the Foreign Ministry’s website:
I would like to present my most sincere felicitations to each and every Iranian across the world on the anniversary of the Islamic Revolution’s victory.
It gives us great pleasure to witness more than four decades of impressive progress in various areas of science and technology, defense industry, aerospace and medicine.
Today, the Islamic Republic of Iran is the very summit of success in many important fields of science and high technology and has accomplished impressive achievements under the guidance of the Leader and tireless efforts of the Iranian youth.
Even though the enemies of the great Iranian nation have been trying, through terrorist sanctions and failed policy of Iranophobia, to make Iranian youth disappointed, and even though the enemies have utilized all available means to avert the progress of the Iranian nation in various fields, we are delighted that we have attained the highest level of progress in the Islamic Republic in all areas in which the enemies had targeted Iran’s political independence and development.
In the government of President (Ebrahim) Raisi, we all have focused our efforts on implementing a sustainable economic development plan as well as fully neutralizing sanctions.
Notwithstanding, Iran, as a country with geopolitical advantage in the region, and as a country which enjoys Iranian and Islamic civilization, is also trying to remove the sanctions. We have never escaped from the negotiating table. Neither have we distanced ourselves from dialogue and diplomacy. We are actively present wherever there is an interest for the great Iranian nation.
Moreover, we strongly defend our sovereignty, political independence and territorial integrity.
Within the framework of our balanced foreign policy doctrine, dynamic diplomacy and smart interaction, we have prioritized the view to Asia as well as our neighbors as the main approach of the foreign policy of the incumbent Iranian government.
Under such a structure, during the past year and half, we have taken steps toward redefining cooperation with our neighbors as well as reviewing Asian and expanding Asian trade.
Yet, we have taken serious efforts concurrently within the same balanced foreign policy approach to enhance cooperation with Europe, Africa, and the Americas, including Latin America.
We believe that Europe is not made up of only three countries that have taken unfriendly acts against Iran, especially in recent months.
A large part of Europe does not accommodate such E3 policies and we retain on the agenda our views to expand relations with every single one of the world countries.
Despite ill-promises and obstructions created by the US and E3, we remain committed to fulfilling our international obligations.
Iran continues its cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency. However, we insist on preserving such cooperation within purely technical frameworks and keeping the IAEA free from political and selective approaches.
Under such a framework, we remain committed to cooperation and negotiation to achieve tangible and practical results to first, secure maximum national interests and second, give care to joint interests with other parties.
We consider negotiations not merely for the sake of negotiations but for obtaining collective results and achievements. We are seriously and categorically critical of those who have used negotiations for political and partisan games in the West.
We have declared repeatedly that negotiation and diplomacy with the ultimate objective of achieving joint interests and securing maximum benefits for the Iranian nation are placed high on our agenda.