Rouhani: Enemies Cannot Slow Down Iran’s Progress

Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani says enemies will not be able to slow down the Islamic Republic’s progress, stressing that the country will thwart all conspiracies against it.

He made the comments in a ceremony marking the 26th anniversary of the passing of the late founder of the Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Rouhollah Khomeini on Wednesday.

Rouhani emphasized the importance of the teachings of Imam Khomeini with regard to maintaining national unity and solidarity.

The Iranian government would continue to “safeguard the national interests” of Iranians who will dismantle the sanctions regime, Rouhani stated.

The United States and its allies have imposed several rounds of sanctions against Iran under the pretext of its nuclear program.

The Islamic Republic and the P5+1 group of countries — the United States, France, Britain, Russia, China and Germany — are seeking to finalize a comprehensive deal on Iran’s nuclear issue before June 30. Under the deal, the sanctions against Iran would be removed in return for some restrictions of its nuclear program.

The two sides have been working on the text of the potential deal ever since they reached a mutual understanding on its parameters in the Swiss city of Lausanne on April 2.

Iran nuclear talks on right track, says Lavrov

On the other hand, Russia says negotiations between Iran and the P5+1 group of countries aimed at securing a final deal on the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program are proceeding in the right direction.

“Progress is obvious. It is not final yet, but we are on the right track,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday, Russia’s Interfax news agency reported on Wednesday.

“There is no obstacle on the path towards a successful completion of the talks over the Iranian nuclear program, as long as all negotiators stick to the political framework which was agreed upon in Lausanne at the meeting of foreign ministers, and opens up a path towards final resolution of all the aspects of this problem without an exception,” Lavrov said.

Iran and the P5+1 group of countries – the United States, Britain, France, Russia, China and Germany – reached a mutual understanding on the Iranian nuclear program in the Swiss city on April 2.

High-ranking nuclear negotiators from Iran and the P5+1 are seeking to finalize a comprehensive deal on Tehran’s civilian nuclear activities by the end of June.

“For now everyone is set on the result, one that could be achieved within the specified preferable timeframe, i.e. The end of June,” the top Russian diplomat said.

Also on Wednesday, the European Union External Action Service (EEAS) said the P5+1 and Iranian representatives are due to resume political director-level talks on Thursday.

The EEAS said in a statement that the P5+1 “Political Directors, chaired by EU Political Director Helga Schmid, are meeting today to prepare for a new round of nuclear talks with their Iranian counterparts.”

“The meetings at Political Directors level will be complemented by parallel work of E3/EU+3 (P5+1) and Iranian technical experts,” it said.

Iran will be represented at Thursday’s talks, which will be held in the Austrian capital, Vienna, by Deputy Foreign Ministers Abbas Araqchi and Madjid Takht-e-Ravanchi, the EEAS said.

PRESS T.V

R.S