Gharazi says hostile US policy behind Iran’s nuclear issue

Iran presidential candidate, Mohammad Gharazi, says the West’s standoff with Iran over its nuclear energy program is the result of the hostile US policy toward the Iranian nation and government.

Speaking to reporters in Tehran on Friday, Gharazi said the nuclear issue is not actually over Iran’s nuclear energy program, “… it is about [the standoff between] the United States and Iran. The US cannot tolerate an independent Iranian administration that relies on the Islamic Revolution.”

He added that the United States adopts differing positions on different administrations in Iran according to their level of flexibility in favor of Washington’s policies.

“I believe Iran’s nuclear issue is not a nuclear issue at all. We have not done anything wrong; we have acted according to the laws. But the US will not compromise with any Iranian administration which is made up of revolutionaries and popular figures, and which tries to defend the nation,” he reiterated.

Gharazi emphasized that Iranians will never bow to the US or other Western powers, and will continue resistance as long as the US persists in its hostile policy toward the Iranian nation.

Ruling out direct talks between the two countries, Gharazi stressed that any Iranian administration that would try to give concessions to the US through negotiations would not last long.

The United States, the Israeli regime and some of their allies have repeatedly accused Iran of pursuing non-civilian objectives in its nuclear energy program, with Tel Aviv repeatedly threatening to attack Tehran’s nuclear facilities.

Over the false allegation, Washington and the European Union have also imposed a series of illegal unilateral sanctions against the Islamic Republic.

Tehran rejects the allegations against its nuclear energy program, arguing that as a committed signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty and a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency, it has the right to use nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.

In addition, the IAEA has conducted numerous inspections of Iran’s nuclear facilities but has never found any evidence showing that Iran’s civilian nuclear program has been diverted toward military purposes.