Iran: Enrichment Right No Issue for Talks

Iran on Tuesday reiterated its readiness to continue negotiations with the world powers, including the US, on the country’s civilian nuclear program, but meantime, strongly underlined that it’s right of uranium enrichment is not subject to any deal or compromise.

Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Marziyeh Afkham told reporters in Tehran on Tuesday “For us, the end point of the negotiations is (the materialization of) the nation’s nuclear rights, including enrichment, and from our point of view, no negotiation on the enrichment right is acceptable”.

She added “The right of enrichment is not negotiable at all”.

Stressing Tehran’s preparedness to cooperate with the international community to clarify possible ambiguities around its peaceful nuclear program, Afkham said, “We have announced that we will show full transparency and obviate the other sides’ logical concerns based on the international rules and regulations and the safeguards which exist on this path and this framework is the criteria and first step for negotiations.”

The Iranian foreign ministry spokeswoman expressed hope that the two sides would reach this framework in the upcoming Geneva talks.