Iran will not stop research on centrifuges: Zarif

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says Iran will not give up research on centrifuges as part of a final deal on its nuclear energy program.

In an interview with Reuters and The International Media Associates, Zarif said Tehran will not give up research on centrifuges as part of a final deal with six world powers.

On November 24, 2013, Iran and the six major world powers – Russia, China, the US, France, Britain and Germany – inked an interim nuclear accord in the Swiss city of Geneva. The two sides started implementing the agreement on January 20.

Under the Geneva deal, the six countries undertook to provide Iran with some sanctions relief in exchange for Iran agreeing to limit certain aspects of its nuclear activities, including a voluntary suspension of its 20-percent uranium enrichment program.

According to the agreement, Iran can, however, continue to develop centrifuges and carry out related research.

Zarif further stated that Iran is going to discuss various aspects of its nuclear program in the upcoming negotiations with the six countries.

“We are going to discuss various aspects of the nuclear program and I do not think technology and science has anything to do with proliferation [of nuclear weapons],” Zarif added.

The Islamic Republic is set to resume talks with the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany in the Austrian capital of Vienna on February 18.