Any decision by West will affect next 5+1 talks

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ramin Mehmanparast has said that any decision by Western countries to impose new sanctions on Iran ahead of the talks between Tehran and world powers will affect the negotiations.
Iran and the 5+1 group (the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany) held a new round of talks in Istanbul on April 14, breaking a 15-month hiatus in talks, and agreed to meet again in Baghdad on May 23.

“First of all, sanctions will not be effective and will strengthen our determination to accelerate the country’s progress. (The imposition of) any sanction would be regarded as a wrong step, and the lifting of each sanction would be regarded as a right decision toward making up for wrong measures in the past. And any decision by the Westerners will affect the atmosphere of the next negotiations,” Mehmanparast stated during his regular press briefing on Tuesday.

Any decision to lift the sanctions ahead of the Baghdad talks would be a “step in the right direction,” he added.

He also welcomed Switzerland’s recent decision to not freeze the assets of the Central Bank of Iran and impose an oil embargo and advised other countries to follow suit.

In addition, Mehmanparast said, “We have a positive view on the next meeting… in Baghdad and hope that… it will yield good results.”

Asked if there is any link between recent terrorist attacks in Iraq and the country’s decision to host the talks between Iran and the 5+1 group, Mehmanparast stated that efforts are underway to portray Iraq as insecure to prevent the talks from being held in Baghdad.

He also said, “It is becoming clear which countries want Iran-5+1 talks to bear fruit and which countries see the success of the talks to the detriment of their interests. It is also becoming clear which countries are helping enhance security in the region and which countries are involved in insecurity in regional countries, including Iraq.”

Iran has recalled accused diplomat

Asked about the Iranian diplomat in Brazil who violated codes of ethics in an incident that occurred in mid-April, Mehmanparast said that the diplomat has been recalled to Iran and “would be dealt with according to disciplinary rules.”

Ahmadinejad to visit Brazil

He also announced that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will pay a visit to Brazil in the future.

However, the date of the visit has not been decided yet, he added.

No disruption in Iran’s oil exports

Asked if the cyber attack on the Iranian Oil Ministry and a number of affiliated companies on April 22 had disrupted Iran’s oil exports, Mehmanparast said, “There has been no disruption in our oil exports.”

Sarkozy’s decisions on Iran harmed France’s interests

Mehmanparast also replied to a question about the fact that Francois Hollande on April 23 won the first round of France’s presidential election, setting himself up for a May 6 runoff with incumbent Nicolas Sarkozy.

The Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson said, “The result of the French election so far illustrates that the French people are discontent with the country’s current officials… and it seems that Sarkozy’s wrong decisions in regard to the Middle East and Iran have harmed the French people and the country’s national interests.”