Anti-Iran threat policy won’t produce results: Rouhani

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has criticized repeated threats against the Islamic Republic over its nuclear energy program, emphasizing that the policy of threat and intimidation will not pay off.

“What matters in [Iran’s] nuclear case is that all parties sit down at the negotiating table. Positive thinking requires us to only think about negotiations. Threat is not constructive but is provocative. Sanctions and threats incite any nation. Threatening the Iranian nation is futile,” Rouhani told a group of American political elites on Tuesday evening ahead of the 69th annual session of the UN General Assembly in New York.

He described the ongoing nuclear talks between Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council — the United States, China, Russia, France and Britain — plus Germany over Tehran’s nuclear program as an opportunity to pave the way for better relations among world nations.

Rouhani also referred to the November 24 deadline for Iran to clinch a comprehensive nuclear deal with the six world powers, stating that an agreement would be possible should both sides demonstrate strong resolve.

The Iranian president further noted that his country is determined to reach a deal and believes that failure to reach an agreement will not benefit anyone.

He said the International Atomic Energy Agency has verified Iran’s compliance with the terms of the accord it struck with the six world powers in Geneva, Switzerland, on November 24, 2013, saying if Iran’s negotiating partners try to build more confidence and do not seek to deny the Iranian nation its nuclear rights, it would not be difficult to conclude a comprehensive deal over Tehran’s nuclear energy program.

According to a monthly update by the UN nuclear agency released on Friday, Iran continues to meet its commitments under the terms of the Geneva interim agreement, and is using some of its higher-grade enriched uranium in oxide form to produce fuel as per the agreement with the six countries.