AEOI Chief: Goodwill Key to Settlement of Iran’s N. Standoff with West
Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Ali Akbar Salehi said goodwill on the part of the six world powers (the US, Russia, China, France, Britain and Germany) in their talks with Tehran would lead to a permanent settlement of the decade-long nuclear crisis between the two sides.
“We are confident that if the other side will come with a goodwill in the (upcoming) talks, the output of the negotiations will be satisfactory,” Salehi said in a meeting with the families of Iran’s martyred nuclear scientists in Tehran on Saturday.
He underlined that the major world countries should seize the present opportunity and move to resolve their nuclear standoff with Tehran by showing their good will.
Salehi stressed Iran’s goodwill in the talks as well, but said that the Iranian team of negotiators enjoy high-level integrity and will continue the negotiations under the supervision of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei.
He pointed to the redlines set by the Supreme Leader in the nuclear field, and said, “The team of negotiators will continue to work within the framework of Supreme Leader’s guidelines and orders.”
Salehi said Iran will not withdraw even an iota of its nuclear rights as stipulated in the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and the stature of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for all the member states.
“We will move in the direction of our rights and whenever we have made a pledge we have remained committed to it,” he said.
Iran and the Group 5+1 (the five permanent UN Security Council members plus Germany) ended their third and last round of talks headed by Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and EU Foreign Policy Catherine Ashton on February 20.
Iran and the G5+1 agreed to hold a new round of talks in Vienna on March 17-20.
Zarif’s talks with Ashton focused on finding a lasting solution to the nuclear standoff between the two sides after hectic diplomatic efforts in Geneva in November resulted in an interim agreement.
A senior Iranian lawmaker said on Saturday that Ashton’s this evening visit to Tehran proves the country’s success in winning the world states’ trust in its constructive foreign policy as well as transparent nuclear program.
“The trip can be effective for implementation of the Geneva agreement (cut by Iran and G5+1 in November) during the remaining time in phase one of the deal,” Member of the Iranian Parliament’s Presiding Board Hossein Sobhaninia said.
He further noted that Ashton’s visit provides an opportunity for both parties to the nuclear negotiations to transfer their views to the other side.
Ashton arrived in Tehran on Saturday afternoon to hold meetings with high-ranking Iranian officials on different range of issues.
Upon arrival at Tehran’s International Mehrabad Airport, the EU foreign policy chief and her accompanying delegation were received by Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister and senior negotiator in the talks with the world powers Seyed Abbas Araqchi.
Ashton who heads the delegations of the G5+1 in talks with Tehran over its nuclear program is accompanied by her Deputy Helga Schmidt and Spokesman Michael Mann in her first visit to Iran.
She is due to meet Zarif, President Hassan Rouhani, Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani and Supreme Leader’s Senior Advisor Ali Akbar Velayati during her stay in Iran.
