Chief Negotiator: Iran’s Views in Talks Unaffected by Pressures

Iran’s lead negotiator Saeed Jalili said pressures and coercion can no way influence Iran’s views and cannot help to the success of the Iran-world powers talks.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran has always welcomed talks and we have always stated what can be useful for the success of cooperation is the two sides’ participation in the talks with correct and swift strategies,” Jalili told reporters after two days of talks with the world powers in the Kazakh city of Almaty on Tuesday and Wednesday.

“We have repeatedly said that talks should be aimed at cooperation. Strategies, including the use of pressure for the sake of the success of the talks are definitely useless and will not meet a result,” he added.

“Those who claimed that they have imposed crippling sanctions on our nation and imposed the most pressures against our nation in the last eight months are now witnessing that these pressures and attitudes have not borne them any result. they should understand the reality that the best way to correct this strategy is shifting to a new path,” the Iranian top negotiator reiterated.

Asked under what conditions Iran would halt its 20-percent uranium enrichment activities, he said, “Any proposal for cooperation, transparency and confidence-building should be based on a recognition and acceptance of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s rights and its nuclear rights, including the uranium enrichment, and issues can come under discussion within this framework.”

“Three years ago in the second round of talks in Geneva, we informed that we needed 20-percent enriched fuel for the Tehran research reactor, but they unfortunately did not provide a response and we embarked on fuel production ourselves,” Jalili said.

“Producing 20-percent enriched uranium to meet our needs is our inalienable right given to us by the NPT (Non-Proliferation Treaty),” he said, and added that the two sides can discuss cooperation to supply Iran’s needs “but the other side should build Iran’s confidence and give up hostile attitudes towards the Iranian nation”.

The first round of talks between Iran and the G5+1 was held in Almaty’s Rixos Hotel in the Kazakh city of Almaty yesterday and the second ended earlier today.

Jalili headed the Islamic Republic’s negotiating delegation. The G5+1’s representatives were led by EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton.

Before the Almaty meetings, Iran and the G5+1 held three rounds of talks in Geneva, two rounds in Istanbul, one round in Baghdad and one round in Moscow. The last round of talks between Iran and the Group 5+1 was held in Moscow in June.