Iran’s Top Security Official Warns of Negative Impacts of West’s Approach to N. Talks

Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Shamkhani warned of the negative impacts of the approach pursued by the western members of the Group 5+1 (the US, Russia, China, Britain and France plus Germany) towards the nuclear talks with Tehran.
Shamkhani criticized the western governments for procrastination of the nuclear talks, and said that the western approach may lead to negative effects on the current process of the nuclear talks.

If the other side gets rid of political agenda and consider legal and technical realities, signing a desirable agreement in a short time would be possible, he said in a second round of meeting with Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval in Tehran.

Shamkhani underlined Iran’s commitment to nuclear talks with the G5+1, and said that Iran through active diplomacy made evident the baseless propaganda of the world arrogance about Iran’s peaceful nuclear program and proved Iran’s right to follow up its nuclear rights in the framework of NPT.

Iran’s good faith to admit numerous inspections of the IAEA and implementation of Joint Plan of Action were a test for the western governments’ honesty and commitment to the Geneva agreement before the world conscience.

In relevant remarks on Wednesday, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani stressed the necessity for the annulment of all sanctions against the country, and dismissed the US officials’ claims that Tehran had sit to the negotiating table with powers under pressures and sanctions.

“Those who state that Iran has come to the negotiations due to sanctions are uttering lies; Iran has sit to the negotiating table not as a result of pressures but for the sake of logic and for the establishment of peace in the region and the world,” Rouhani said, addressing millions of people participating in the February 11 rallies.

He asked the western officials if their claims that Iran had sit to the negotiating table due to sanctions were true, then why they didn’t impose further embargos on the nation and had resorted to talks with Tehran, instead.

“Speak honestly and admit that you have been left with no other option against the Iranian nation but interaction, and say it to the world out loud that if you intend to establish peace and stability and uproot terrorism in the Middle-East region, you have no way out but (to interact with) the Islamic Republic,” Rouhani underscored.

Stressing that Iran was after a win-win understanding with the world powers, Rouhani said, “This means that if Iran shows transparency in its peaceful nuclear program within the framework of the international regulations, the other side should also end the illegal sanctions and this will benefit both sides.”

Also on Sunday, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei complained that the behavior of the Americans and their European allies in the negotiations is illogical as they expect all their excessive demands to be met, “but this is not the way of negotiation”.

Ayatollah Khamenei approved of the Iranian officials’ standing up to the other side’s excessive demands, and said, “The Islamic ruling system acts on a logical basis in the nuclear talks, but the other side has no logic and is pursuing irrationality by relying on bullying.”

The Supreme Leader reiterated that the Iranian nation will not tolerate bullying, excessive demands and illogical behavior.

The 10th round of negotiations between Iran and the six world powers was held in Vienna from November 18 to 24, where the seven nations decided to extend the talks until July after they failed to strike an agreement.

Both Iran and the G5+1 negotiators have underlined that cutting a final deal before the July 10 deadline is possible.