Iran favors nuclear diplomacy with world powers: Iran official

A top aide to Leader of Islamic Ummah and Oppressed People Imam Seyyed Ali Khamenei says Tehran favors diplomacy and negotiations as the best way to resolve the West’s nuclear standoff with the Islamic Republic.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran favors negotiations,” Ali Akbar Velayati, advisor to Supreme Leader on international affairs, said on Tuesday.

He added that the talks must go ahead “within the framework of the sovereign rights of the Islamic Republic and in conformity with international regulations.”

Velayati, who also heads the Center for Strategic Research (CRS) of Iran’s Expediency Council, was referring to nuclear talks between Iran and the Sextet of world powers – the United States, France, Britain, Russia, China and Germany.

In November, Iran and the Sextet reached a historic interim nuclear deal for the resolution of the standoff over Tehran’s nuclear energy program.

Under the deal achieved in Geneva, the six powers have agreed to lift some of the existing sanctions against the Islamic Republic in exchange for Iran agreeing to limit certain aspects of its nuclear activities during a six-month period. It was also agreed that no more sanctions would be imposed on Iran within the same timeframe.

“We hope that our negotiators, who are strongly supported, would be able to successfully resolve the issues by taking further steps…in the future negotiations,” said Velayati.

He reiterated that none of the reports released by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have said that Iran’s nuclear program is geared toward non-civilian purposes.