Rouhani: No Compromise over Iran’s N. Enrichment Right

TEHRAN – Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani said he has plans to protect Iran’s nuclear rights, while removing the other parties’ concerns in the talks with the world powers, but meantime underlined that Tehran’s uranium enrichment right is not negotiable, according to FNA.

“Iran’s nuclear program is a national issue beyond partisan policies. The principles existing in this ground will be protected. That is to say, Iran’s nuclear rights in accordance with the international regulations will be emphasized by this government,” President Rouhani told a press conference in Tehran on Tuesday.

“We will not give up people’s rights, but in the meantime, we favor interaction and dialogue,” he said, explaining that his government is ready to start serious talks and dialogue with the opposing parties right away.

“And if the opposite side shares this preparedness, I am confident that the two sides’ concerns will be removed through talks in a not long time,” stressed the president.

“Yet, demands which are beyond the law, irrational or expired will lead to nowhere. Thus, we need to deal with this issue realistically,” he added.

Rouhani reiterated that “talks and not threats should top the agenda”, “and this is the key” to the settlement of the Iran-West nuclear standoff.

“Anyone thinking that he can impose his will on the Iranian nation through sanctions is gravely and deeply mistaken,” the new Iranian president warned.

“Solution to the nuclear issue needs political resolve and not lengthy debates, and I as the president of Iran declare that the Islamic Republic has the political resolve to settle this problem and protect the Iranian people’s rights while removing the concerns of the opposite side,” he stressed.

“And we hope the opposite party to have this political will and if that proves to be the case, desirable result will be attained in the short, and not long, run,” the new Iranian president said.

Reiterating that “a win-win solution is possible” and cautioning the US statesmen to give up the sanctions policy, Rouhani said he will be trying to convince the world to accept that “Iran is just seeking its own rights and is no threat to any other world country, that “we do not intend to intrude in the other countries’ domestic affairs, and that our (nuclear) activities are legal and peaceful”.

He reminded that Iran is a signatory to the NPT and the Safeguard Agreements and is a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) which supervises Iran’s nuclear activities.

“Since day one, no one has ever said that we would give up enrichment, this is the inalienable right of the people,” President Rouhani said.

Yet, he underlined that he has plans for future talks with the Group 5+1 (the five permanent UN Security Council members plus Germany), but declined to elaborate on his plans, saying that it is now too soon to publicize them.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said last month that a new team to be appointed by Iran’s new president would be assigned to resume negotiations with the G5+1.

“The negotiations will certainly continue and we are waiting for Rouhani to take charge officially and then assign a negotiating team and they (the world powers) have also announced preparedness to resume negotiations,” Salehi told reporters in Tehran in mid July.

In April, Iran and the G5+1 ceased negotiations after two days of intensive talks in Almaty after the delegations of the world powers demanded further consultations with their capitals.

The Iranian team was led by Iran’s top negotiator SaeedJalili and the G5+1’s representatives were presided by Ashton.

Then, the Western media raised some speculations that continuation of the talks would depend on the presidential election in Iran, and that nothing substantial would take place under the conditions then.

R.S