Iran

P5+1 needs nuclear deal more than Iran does: Rouhani

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Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani says major global powers need to reach a nuclear agreement with Iran, even more than Tehran does.

“We don’t want to speak about not reaching an agreement, agreement is what everyone needs; of course the P5+1 needs this agreement more than us,” Rouhani said Thursday.

Iran and P5+1 group of countries – the US, Britain, France, China, Russia and Germany – reached a mutual understanding on Tehran’s nuclear program on April 2 in Switzerland. The two sides are expected to start drafting a final inclusive deal which they seek to sign by the end of June.

“But if we do not reach an agreement, the sanctions regime will not continue like before. They know that the sanctions regime has been disrupted and they know that this regime will not last, and in any event, not achieving an agreement will benefit no one,” said Rouhani.

The Iranian president, who was speaking in the northern Iranian city of Rasht, said Iran’s main objective in seeking a final nuclear deal is to prove to the world that the allegations made against the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program over the past years were “baseless and unreal.”

He said the fact that the world powers have accepted Iran’s right to peaceful nuclear energy should be regarded as a “breakthrough.”

Highlighting the significance of a deal between Iran and P5+1, he said such an agreement would pave the ground for interaction between Iran and other countries, including the P5+1 states.

Rouhani reiterated that Iran and P5+1 have a tough road ahead for reaching a final deal before the end of June as there are lots of complicated issues to be settled between the two sides. But, he added that “if these countries show the required determination, as it has been the case, (the deal) will be possible.”

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