Iran: Talks to focus on intl. problems

The Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) says the upcoming talks between Iran and the major world powers will revolve around key international problems.

“We want to discuss the fundamental problems in world politics,” a Sunday statement by SNSC quoted Saeed Jalili as telling the German weekly magazine Der Spiegel.

As agreed in the “Geneva 3” talks, he said, the negotiations slated to be held in Istanbul between Iran and the representatives of the P5+1 — Britain, China, France, Russia and the US plus Germany — will focus on finding common grounds for closer cooperation.

He said there would be numerous opportunities for cooperation if the six nations adopt a “positive approach.”

Jalili underscored that Iran is entitled to enrich uranium and possess the nuclear fuel cycle under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), adding that the nation’s nuclear right is “non-negotiable.”

He reiterated that Iran’s nuclear activities are being monitored by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Jalili further underlined that Iran has made considerable technical progress despite desperate acts of terrorism and sabotage by the enemy.

He pointed to the concern of the people of Europe and Germany about the West’s nuclear arsenals and asked, “Why should there be more than 200 nuclear warheads in Europe today?”

“The general view is that the enemy has apparently reached a stalemate on all fronts, and that’s why it has turned to … terrorism,” the top councilor underlined.

He then said Iran does not take military threats seriously, and added that a democratic system cannot be confronted with a military strike.

On possible efforts to tighten sanctions on Iran, Jalili said, “We turn sanctions into opportunities.”