Iran to Uphold Nuclear Rights: Rafsanjani
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - Chairman of Iran’s Expediency Council reiterated that Tehran seeks an eventual resolution of the standoff on its peaceful nuclear program through negotiations, but at the same time stressed that Iran will steadfastly defend its nuclear rights.
“The world should know that the Islamic Republic of Iran, while retaining its nuclear rights, calls for interaction, dialog and settlement of the (nuclear) issue,” Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani said in a Saturday session of the Expediency Council in Tehran.
Making a reference to the course of talks between Iran and the six world powers over Tehran’s nuclear case, Rafsanjani underscored that the country will “defend its legal rights” in the negotiations.
He further called on the whole Iranian people and officials to throw their weight behind the country’s negotiating team to achieve the desired results.
The nuclear negotiations which have reportedly reached the halfway stage will continue in the new Iranian year, Rafsanjani explained.
His comments came after delegates representing Iran and the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany) wrapped up the latest round of their nuclear talks in the Austrian capital of Vienna on April 9.
The two sides are slated to convene the next meeting on May 13, again in Vienna, to start drafting the text of a final, long-awaited deal on Tehran’s peaceful nuclear program.
In comments following the conclusion of the most recent round of negotiations, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said the negotiating parties have reached the halfway stage of the nuclear negotiations, noting that the next round of talks will revolve around drafting the final, comprehensive deal on Iran’s nuclear program.
“We have now reached the halfway point of negotiations on the comprehensive agreement. Over the past three months, the entire issues, considered by the sides, were taken into account,” he said on Wednesday.
