West must distance itself from israel: Iran cleric

A senior Iranian cleric says the Israeli regime is trying to hinder the Islamic Republic’s nuclear talks with world powers, calling on the West to distance itself from Tel Aviv.

“The Western world must distance itself from the Zionists. This would be in the interest of the entire world, and in their own interest and of course in Iran’s interest as well,” Ayatollah Mohammad Emami Kashani told worshippers at the weekly Friday Prayers in Tehran.

“The United States and the West must know that the Zionists are not their friends. The Zionists want to dominate the entire world,” the Iranian cleric stated.

Emami Kashani also said Iran would not give up its right to use peaceful nuclear technology for “medical and non-medical” needs, which would be met through nuclear energy.

Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council – the United States, France, Britain, Russia, China – plus Germany wrapped up their latest round of nuclear talks in the Austrian capital, Vienna, on May 16.

Iran says there has been no tangible progress in writing the draft text of a comprehensive agreement over the country’s nuclear energy program.

The two sides have been discussing ways to iron out differences and start drafting a final deal that would end the West’s dispute with Iran over the country’s nuclear energy program.

In November 2013, the two sides signed an interim nuclear deal in the Swiss city of Geneva that came into force on January 20.