EU must ease sanctions to grasp Rohani election chance: Iran envoy

The Iranian ambassador to the European Union says the bloc should ease sanctions against Tehran in order to grasp a new “opportunity” opened up following Iran’s recent presidential election for better ties.

Mahmoud Barimani made the remark in an interview with EUobserver independent online newspaper on Monday, referring to the victory of Hassan Rohani in Iran’s June 14 presidential election.

Rohani’s victory was marked by a high voter turnout. He won 50.7 percent of a total of 36,704,156 ballots counted.

“The election has provided this opportunity from our side and now it’s up to the European Union to grasp it,” the Iranian diplomat said.

“We enjoyed a very good relationship for decades, even centuries, so we want the EU and its member states to … end what we call this ‘transitory period’ and to restore cooperation,” he added.

The United States, Israel and some of their allies falsely claim that Iran is pursuing non-civilian objectives in its nuclear energy program, with the US and the European Union using the claim as a pretext to impose illegal sanctions against Iran.

In January 2012, EU foreign ministers imposed sanctions on Iranian oil imports over the country’s peaceful nuclear program.

The sanctions involve an immediate ban on all new oil contracts with Iran and a freeze on the assets of the Central Bank of Iran within the 27-nation bloc. The EU has also imposed a ban on the sale of gold, diamonds, and other precious metals to Iran.

Tehran rejects the allegation over its nuclear energy activities, maintaining that as a committed signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty and a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), it has the right to use nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.

Barimani ruled out the possibility of Iran’s suspension of uranium enrichment.

“We are ready to show more transparency [on nuclear activities], but I think the relaxation or lifting of sanctions would be a very good sign from the European side,” he said.

Iran decided to enrich uranium to the 20-percent level to provide fuel for Tehran Research Reactor, which produces medical isotopes for cancer patients, after potential suppliers failed to provide the Islamic Republic with the required uranium.