29-03-2024 01:16 PM Jerusalem Timing

Araqchi Says Iran Not to Give Concessions

Araqchi Says Iran Not to Give Concessions

Senior Iranian nuclear negotiator Abbas Araqchi said that Iran is not to give away any concessions in talks with the 5+1.

Iranian deputy Foreign Minister Abbas AraqchiSenior Iranian nuclear negotiator Abbas Araqchi said that Iran is not to give away any concessions in talks with the 5+1, state-run IRNA news agency reported Monday.

Commenting on the recent remarks of the US President Barack Obama who said Iran has not provided enough concessions yet, he said the American president is making the remarks to affect negotiations, stressing that none of the parties is expected to offer concessions especially Iran.

He described the present phase of talks as “sensitive” and said it was natural for certain people to make some remarks to influence the process of negotiations.

The senior nuclear negotiator said Iran is trying now to build the confidence needed about the peaceful nature of its nuclear program.

In return, he said, the other parties are expected to respect Iran’s right to a peaceful nuclear program and remove the sanctions they are unjustly imposing on Iran.

This is the ultimate target of the negotiations, Araqchi added.

The most important point at the present juncture was to develop coordination among all involved parties to enable them to come to a common view in the talks.

He said it was evident during the latest round of talks that the other parties lacked such a harmony.

That was why they arranged a meeting in Lausanne to develop a common standing, he added.

Referring to the demand by the US President that there should be a fact-finding process about Iran’s nuclear program, he said both parties will be required to undergo such a procedure if there is an agreement.

The peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear program is a fact already well-proven, he said.

He stressed that the Non-Alignment Movement members as well as the majority of the international community agreed with the point while the International Atomic Energy Agency too have nothing against Iran to prove the otherwise.

In a recent interview, President Obama said that “Iran has so far not conceded enough in multi-lateral negotiations over its nuclear program for the US to reach a final deal with the country by summer.”

The remarks came as Secretary of State John Kerry said Saturday that negotiators had made 'genuine progress' toward a deal with Iran.

Obama acknowledged in the Huffington Post interview that his administration would need to prove that it could ensure Iran would not obtain a nuclear weapon and it had limited the timeframe for Iran to potentially develop one.

'That's an argument that we are going to have to make, if we have a deal. But we've still got some more to do,' Obama said.