FM: Iran Insists on Rights, Ready to Obviate Concerns

Iranian Foreign Minister and Top Negotiator in talks with the world powers Mohammad JavadZarif underlined that the Islamic Republic insists on the restoration of its rights to use nuclear technology and is meantime, prepared to remove the concerns of the other sides, according to FNA.

“Iran insists on its technology and rights and meanwhile, we are ready to obviate others’ concerns,” Zarif told Iranian reporters after meeting EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton in Geneva on Sunday.

Asked about the remarks made by a number of European officials on the contents of the talks between Iran and the world powers, he said, “The points said about the understanding and differences (between the two sides) are not so much based on reality since we speak about a plan on the whole.”

“It is a rule in the negotiations that while you haven’t agreed on everything, you haven’t agreed on anything,” Zarif said.

Before ending talks with the Group 5+1 (the US, Russia, France, Britain and China plus Germany), the Iranian foreign minister told reporters Iran and the six world powers are close to striking a deal over Tehran’s nuclear standoff with the West and should now start writing the agreement.

“We have now come to the phase of writing the agreement and we have also agreed on certain issues, but it is not yet clear if we can achieve the result tonight,” Zarif said.

The Iranian foreign minister said debates continue after the break, and added, “Now we have to work on the details.”

“There are some differences over certain issues,” he said about the views of Iran and the six world powers, adding that there are some internal differences among the views of the sextet as well.

Meantime, Zarif underlined that “we have achieved agreements on some issues”.

“We have to work on all these issues,” he said, and stressed, “Of course, there is progress” in the talks.

M.D