Tehran, Moscow discuss Iran's nuclear issue
By Sara Rajabova
Iran's nuclear issue was one of the main topics of the discussion between Iranian and Russian foreign minister in Russian capital Moscow.
Zarif said in a joint press conference with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov that Tehran's peaceful nuclear program has not stopped in the face of unilateral sanctions and will never be halted, Press TV reported.
He added that Iran's negotiations with the five permanent members of the UN Security Council - Russia, China, France, Britain and the United States - plus Germany are aimed at resolving any ambiguity about the Iranian nuclear energy program.
In July, Tehran and the P5+1 group of countries agreed to extend negotiations until November 24 after they failed to reach common ground on a number of key issues.
Zarif further described the sanctions against Tehran as "fruitless" and added, "We had 200 centrifuges before sanctions but we currently have 20,000 centrifuges."
The U.S.-engineered sanctions on Iran have been imposed based on the unfounded accusation that Tehran is pursuing non-civilian objectives in its nuclear energy program. However, Iran denies allegation saying it has the right to use nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.
Zarif also said sanctions may exert pressure on people, but the people of Iran and Russia would never give up on their rights under such pressure.
The European Union has imposed sanctions against Russia as well as pro-Russia figures after Ukraine's then autonomous region of Crimea voted in a referendum to re-join the Russian Federation in March.
Iran's foreign minister started his visit to Moscow on August 29. Upon his arrival in the Russian capital, Zarif said he would exchange views with his Russian counterpart over a range of issues, adding the centerpiece of their talks will be Iran's nuclear energy program as well as the country's ongoing negotiations with the P5+1 group.
Zarif also referred to the broadening horizon of Tehran-Moscow cooperation, including negotiations on the construction of new nuclear reactors and bilateral nuclear cooperation.
Russia has expressed optimism about the prospects of Iran-P5+1 nuclear talks, saying the negotiations are close to fulfilling Iran's demand that all of its inalienable rights as a signatory to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) be safeguarded.
Russia's Foreign Ministry said on August 28 that the nuclear negotiations process between Iran and P5+1 has also provided opportunities for the removal of sanctions against the Islamic Republic.
It further urged all countries involved in the nuclear negotiations to show a political will to reach a deal over Iran's "exclusively peaceful" nuclear energy program.