Hezbollah Deputy Chief Lauds Iran for Success in N. Talks

The Deputy Leader of the Lebanese Hezbollah Movement, Sheikh Naim Qassem, hailed Iran for its successful performance during the recent nuclear talks with the world powers in Vienna.
“In the recent nuclear talks held with the Group 5+1 (the US, Russia, China, Britain and France plus Germany) in Vienna, Iran managed to come out of the talks honorably, safeguarded its rights and proved its existence in front of the big powers,” Qassem said in Beirut on Saturday.

He also underlined Iran’s influential role in the region, and said those who attempt to impede Tehran’s relations with the Arab states and other regional and world countries will be harmed and forced to establish friendly ties with the country.

“No one in the region can ignore Iran’s influence and power,” Qassem stressed.

His remarks came after Iran and the six world powers ended a week of negotiations last Monday and decided to meet again in the next 7 months after missing the November 24 deadline to clinch a final deal to resolve their 12-year standoff over Tehran’s nuclear program.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and EU coordinator Catherine Ashton announced Monday night that the talks had been extended until July 10, and the world powers had taken up to release $700 million of Iran’s frozen assets on a monthly basis.

The 10th and last round of negotiations between Iran and the six world powers was held in Vienna from November 18 to 24.

In July, Tehran and the six countries agreed to extend negotiations until November 24 after they failed to reach an agreement on a number of key issues.

After the Monday talks, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister and senior negotiator Seyed Abbas Araqchi announced that major differences were still in place between Tehran and the world powers, including the details of Iran’s enrichment program and mechanisms for removal of the sanctions.

“The issue of enrichment and its limits, extent and capacity, as well as the mechanisms needed for the removal of sanctions are two key issues,” Araqchi said in an interview with the state-run TV on Monday night.

“In addition, there are also several other issues that might not be among the key issues, but are sufficiently important and if they are not resolved, we will not reach any agreement,” he added.

Noting that the negotiations are now being held in a more rational atmosphere, Araqchi said, “The result of the negotiations will be something which would meet our redlines and safeguard whatever we have, enrichment will continue and certainly all sanctions will be annulled in the form and sequence (that they have been imposed).”