AEOI Chief Stresses Voluntary Nature of Halt to Iran’s 20-Percent Enrichment

Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Ali Akbar Salehi underlined that Iran has accepted to stop its 20-percent grade enrichment for a period of six months in a voluntary move to build the opposite parties’ confidence.
Salehi pointed to a final agreement concluded by Iran and the Group 5+1 (the five permanent UN Security Council members plus Germany) in Geneva on Sunday morning, and said, “We will not stop any of our nuclear activities, but we will only voluntarily limit the level of our enrichment for a six-month period until comprehensive negotiations are held and a relevant decision is made for enrichment above the 5-percent grade.”

The AEOI chief stressed that Iran will continue its nuclear activities at Natanz and Fordo enrichment facilities and in Arak heavy water reactor and will also continue all its exploration, research and development projects according to the deal, reiterating that none of Iran’s nuclear activities would be brought to a halt.

Earlier today, Iran and the Group 5+1 reached a final deal on Sunday morning after days of difficult and intensive negotiations and a decade-long nuclear standoff.

After endorsing the agreement with the world powers, Iranian Foreign Minister and top negotiator in the talks with the major world powers Mohammad Javad Zarif underlined that the Group 5+1 (the five permanent UN Security Council members plus Germany) has recognized Iran’s enrichment program.

Speaking at a press conference in Geneva on Sunday morning, the Iranian foreign minister pointed to the agreement reached between Iran and the G5+1, and said, “Today’s agreement deals with several sectors, the most important of which is that Iran’s enrichment program has been recognized, and this program will continue.”

Zarif underlined that the Iranian nation wants the opposite side to show respect for its rights, and said, “We need to remove the historical lack of confidence and the West should also be able to win the Iranian nation’s confidence.”

Zarif called on the West to discard its catch-phrase “the military option is on the table”, and said, “The right to own nuclear energy is among the rights of all countries and the international rules approve of this right. Governments cannot threaten other countries only on the basis of their own decisions.”

“Iran is entitled to make use of its rights, and other countries should not threaten it because of its pursuit of its rights.”

He reiterated that other countries should avoid threatening Iran only because is demanding its rights, and said, “We respect our rights and the non-proliferation treaty (NPT) members should know that they should not exert pressure on Iran and this agreement that has just been signed mentions that Iran is fully entitled to the right of enrichment right and it will never quit its rights in the future.”