Iranian Parliament Urges Negotiators to Safeguard Nuclear Rights
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The Iranian parliamentarians called on the country’s negotiating team to restore nuclear rights and defend the Islamic Republic’s “dignity and might” in its talks with world powers over Tehran’s peaceful nuclear program.
More than 200 members of the Iranian parliament, in a statement on Sunday, asked the country’s negotiators to stand firm on preserving Tehran’s nuclear rights in their talks with the Group 5+1 (the five permanent UN Security Council members plus Germany).
In the statement, the Iranian lawmakers emphasized that all sanctions should be lifted at once immediately after any final agreement between Iran and the G5+1.
They also called on the Iranian diplomats to completely restore the country’s nuclear rights, including uranium enrichment right, and refuse to accept restrictions on the uranium enrichment research and development works and other activities related to the nuclear fuel cycle.
The Iranian parliamentarians also asked diplomats to reject any cooperation with as well as inspection and supervision by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) beyond the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) safeguard agreements.
The Iranian lawmakers underlined that the nature and activities of Arak heavy water reactor should be maintained and Iran should be able to continue utilizing Fordow nuclear facility.
The statement came as Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, US Secretary of State John Kerry and EU's Negotiator on Iran Catherine Ashton have started two-day gathering in Muscat on Sunday and Monday for talks on Iran's nuclear issue.
The trilateral meeting in Muscat is a prelude to another round of nuclear negotiations between Iran and the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany), slated for November 18 in Vienna.
The forthcoming talks are seen as a last-ditch effort to reach an agreement by November 24.
On November 24, 2013, Iran and the six nations signed an interim nuclear deal in the Swiss city of Geneva.
The Geneva deal (the Joint Plan of Action) came into effect in January and expired in July, when the parties decided to extend negotiations until November 24 in the hope of clinching a lasting accord.
