Iran says recognition of nuclear rights prerequisite for " success" of talks

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Iran says recognition of nuclear rights prerequisite for " success" of talks

(Xinhua) 10:04, November 16, 2013

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Iranian foreign minister said Friday that if his country's nuclear rights are not recognized in the nuclear talks, there would be no chance of success for the negotiations, semi-official Mehr news agency reported.

"Any agreement which does not satisfy Iran and does not recognize Iran's (nuclear) rights and is not based on mutual respect, has no chance for success," Foreign Minister Maohammad- Javad Zarif was quoted as saying.

Also on Friday, an Iranian deputy foreign minister said that his country will respond affirmatively to any positive step initiated by the world powers in their nuclear negotiations, Press TV reported.

"If the other party does not become rapacious, Tehran will respond to positive behavior with a reciprocal positive measure," Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hossein Amir- Abdollahian was quoted as saying.

He hailed the performance of the Iranian negotiating team, saying that the delegation has not breached the Islamic republic's principles and it has negotiated "very reasonably and from a powerful stand."

Officials from Iran and the P5+1 group, namely Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States plus Germany, will resume negotiations over Iran's disputed nuclear program in Geneva on Nov. 20 after an initial round of talks ended last week without an agreement.

Iran insists on uranium enrichment activities on its soil, while the West and Israel push for a halt to them and oxidation or shipment of its high-grade stockpile of enriched uranium abroad.

The Islamic republic has also said that if the West anticipates meaningful concessions in Iran's nuclear drive, they should move for significant removal of sanctions against Iran's oil sector and financial system.

On Thursday, U.S. President Barack Obama warned against any new sanction move, saying that there is no need for Congress to add new sanctions on Iran if the United States is serious about pursuing diplomatic solution to Tehran's disputed nuclear program.

"My message to Congress has been that let's see if this short- term, phase-one deal can be completed to our satisfaction," Obama said at a press conference.

Obama urged the Congress to give an opportunity to see how serious Iran is about resolving the nuclear issue diplomatically and peacefully. "If they're not serious, we can dial those sanctions right back up," Obama said.

At the press conference, Obama also reiterated the goal of his administration to stop Iran from having nuclear weapons.

"It would be not only dangerous to us and our allies, but it would be destabilizing to the entire region and could trigger a nuclear arms race that would make life much more dangerous for all of us," Obama said.

Obama said the sanctions that have been put in place are effective in crippling the Iranian economy and are the reason that brought Iran back to the negotiating table.

Iran's economy dropped 5 percent last year, its currency plummeted and it had significant problems in the day-to-day economy on the ground, according to the U.S. president.

In the meantime, Iran Defense Minister Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan on Friday dismissed the U.S. threats against Iran, Press TV reported.

"The threats by the United States and the Zionist regime (of Israel) against the Islamic Republic of Iran are jokes; do not take them very seriously," Dehghan told reporters.