Iran ready for nuclear talks, top official says
By Sara Rajabova
Iran dismissed Western allegations that it has been forced back to the negotiating table under economic sanctions, saying that its nuclear negotiators have always participated in talks with the five permanent UN Security Council members and Germany and have never pulled out of the negotiations, Fars news agency reported on Monday.
Deputy secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Baqueri said Iran has never left the negotiating table and has always been ready for talks with the P5+1 group.
The latest round of high-level talks between Iran and the six major powers was held in Moscow on June 18 and 19.
"It is completely wrong to say Iran is back at the negotiating table or that they have increased and expanded sanctions and this is why Iran is coming back to the talks," Baqueri said on Monday during a speech at the University of Tehran.
Baqueri said that the P5+1 group has not yet responded to the proposals which Iran presented in Moscow in June.
He noted that Iran's package of proposals was based not merely on its interests but also on international treaties accepted by both sides.
"If the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany are seriously ready, Tehran is ready to discuss their responses to its proposals," he added.
Baqueri also announced he would have a phone conversation with EU deputy foreign policy chief Helga Schmid, ISNA news agency reported.
"Today the office of Ms. Schmid contacted me for a telephone conversation and we are scheduled to hold a telephone conversation today or tomorrow," he said.
The major powers have demanded that Iran halt 20 percent enrichment of uranium, shut down the Fordo uranium enrichment facility, and ship all of its stocks of 20 percent enriched uranium out of the country.
The U.S. and Israel suspect Iran of making a nuclear bomb, an allegation Iran denies, saying its nuclear program is completely peaceful, serving medical and research purposes.
Commenting on the sanctions that have been imposed on Iran, the SNSC deputy secretary said, "This approach has failed and is illogical. And they are resorting to other means, including sanctions, because they do not have logical means at their disposal for their reasoning."
Meanwhile, another senior Iranian official also voiced Tehran's readiness to review diplomatic solutions presented by any world country to resolve its nuclear standoff with the West.
"Tehran welcomes any effort by other countries to bring about a peaceful and diplomatic solution to the Western standoff over Iran's nuclear energy program," Deputy Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araqchi said.