Next round of Iran-P5+1 talks test of Western sincerity: Leader of Ummah

Leader of the Islamic Ummah and Oppressed People Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei says the next round of negotiations between Iran and the six major world powers of the P5+1 group will be a test of Western sincerity.

Addressing members of Iran’s Assembly of Experts in Tehran on Thursday, Ayatollah Khamenei said the West has a track record of disregarding its own agreements and statements.

Referring to the recent meeting between Iran and the P5+1 — including the US, Britain, France, China, and Russia plus Germany — the Leader said, “In this meeting, the Western participants did nothing important which can be considered as giving concession [to Iran], but they only owned up to a small part of the rights of the Iranian nation.”

“To put the honesty of the Western states to test, we must wait until the next meeting [with the P5+1 group],” Ayatollah Khamenei added.

The Leader stated that the West is using the nuclear issue just as an excuse to impose sanctions on Iran because it is following a long-term goal through the policy of slapping sanctions against Tehran.

Ayatollah Khamenei emphasized that the West is hoping to pit the Iranian people against the Islamic establishment, but massive demonstrations marking the 34th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution proved the futility of their efforts.

Iran and the P5+1 group held their latest round of talks in Almaty on February 26 and 27.

Both sides agreed to meet in Almaty again on April 5-6 for the next round of negotiations after holding “expert-level” talks in the Turkish city of Istanbul on March 17-18.