Spokesman: Iran’s N. Activities Not Politically-Tainted

“Our country’s peaceful nuclear activities are not affected by political issues and are merely carried out in order to secure energy resources,” Seyed Abbas Araqchi said in his weekly press conference here in Tehran today.

Araqchi responded to the recent media speculations about a shift in Iran’s production of reactor fuel, and stressed that the amount of fuel depends on the country’s needs alone.

Some media outlets have recently quoted a number of western diplomats as claiming that Iran appears to be reducing its stockpile of 20 percent enriched uranium by converting it into reactor fuel ahead of future talks between Tehran and the Group 5+1 (the five permanent UN Security Council members plus Germany).

Araqchi rejected the claim as "allegation" raised by the West, and stated that production of nuclear fuel and the number of centrifuges working in Iran's nuclear facilities depend on the country's needs.

In relevant remarks on August 6, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani made comments on his approach to the nuclear program, and reaffirmed Tehran’s determination to pursue a “win-win” solution to the issue.

“We are prepared to enter serious and meaningful negotiations with determination and without wasting time, and if our opposing party is equally ready, I am confident that the concerns of both sides will be allayed through dialogue,” the Iranian chief executive pointed out.

The United States and the European Union have imposed illegal unilateral sanctions against Iran over the false claim that Iran's nuclear energy program includes a military component.

Iran rejects the allegation, arguing that numerous inspections of its nuclear sites by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have invariably failed to find any diversion towards military purposes.