Iran, Sextet moved away from confrontation: Zarif

The Iranian foreign minister hails the nuclear deal between Tehran and the six world powers as the first step toward a negotiated solution to the West’s nuclear standoff with the country.

“The path, which was imposed on us and moving toward confrontation, was halted and redirected toward the resolution of the problem,” Mohammad Javad Zarif told a gathering of Iranian expatriates in Dubai late on Wednesday.

Zarif said the long-awaited agreement provided the world powers with the opportunity to win the confidence of the Iranian nation. “One cannot treat Iran and Iranians with pressure, intimidation and threat.”

He rejected allegations accusing Iran of pursuing a military nuclear program in hope of gaining greater power, stressing that the Islamic Republic does not need weapons of mass destruction.

The Iranian minister further scoffed at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s opposition against any agreement between Tehran and the Sextet.

“If Netanyahu fears what he calls ‘Iran’s access to nuclear weapons,’ how come he is concerned over an interaction that proves to the world that Iran is not after nuclear weapons?” Zarif questioned.

“They are [in fact] worried about the false image they have presented of Iran, which they have turned into a cover to justify their crimes and their possession of nuclear arms in the Middle East,” he explained.

Zarif said Iran is opposed to the use of nuclear weaponry and views it as a breach of religious and moral principles, a violation of international conventions and a threat to global security.

On November 24, Iran and the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council — the US, France, Russia, China and Britain — plus Germany sealed an interim deal in the Swiss city of Geneva to pave the way for the full resolution of the West’s decade-old dispute with Iran over its nuclear energy program.

In exchange for Iran agreeing to limit certain aspects of its nuclear activities, the United States and its allies have agreed to lift some of the existing unilateral sanctions against Iran and let the country reap billions of dollars in relief from economic sanctions over six months.

According to the Iranian Foreign Ministry, the deal allows Iran to continue its activities at Arak, Fordow and Natanz facilities. The agreement also stipulates that no additional sanctions will be imposed on Tehran over its nuclear energy program in the coming six months.