Envoy: Iran-5+1 Talks Must Be Held In Sound Dialog Atmosphere

Ankara, May 15, IRNA -- Iranian Ambassador to Turkey Ali-Reza Bigdeli said here Tuesday that Iran-G5+1 negotiations must be held amid sound dialogue atmosphere, as whenever western countries have resorted to pressure lever negotiations have faced defeat. Bigdeli made the comments Wednesday in an interview with the Turkish state news agency Anatolia a day before the scheduled meeting between the Secretary of Iranˈs Supreme National Security Council Saeed Jalili and the EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton in Istanbul on Iranˈs peaceful nuclear program. He referred to the first round of Iranˈs talks with some western countries which led to voluntary halting of Iranˈs peaceful nuclear activities aimed at trust building, reiterating, ˈIran halted its uranium enrichment activities for a while, but the other side chose to increase its pressure against Tehran in return, which led to delaying the course of negotiations for a while.ˈ Ambassador Bigdeli further emphasized that whenever the West has intermingled negotiations with pressure the talks have been faced with difficulties, adding, ˈThe third round of talks which were held in Geneva were a turning point, as the cooperation option was put on the table there.ˈ The Iranian ambassador to Turkey pointing out that the negotiations would still go on for some time, reiterated, ˈDuring the last round of talks at Almaty continued the negotiations in the framework of cooperation and the most important point that the western countries must realize is that they should come to the negotiation table to achieve tangible results, not to impose pressure.ˈ Bigdeli said, ˈWe are optimist that the negotiations would be held amid an atmosphere of cooperation.ˈ He added, ˈThere are two important issues for Iran: firstly recognition of Iranˈs rights, as stated at the NPT, and secondly the Westˈs ending of its antagonist approach towards Iran. If this framework would be observed, achieving results at the technical field would not be a tough task.ˈ He added, ˈMembership of Iran at the NPT and cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) are signs of Iranˈs commitment to its international obligations.ˈ The Iranian ambassador to turkey furthermore reiterated that Iran is determined to continue its peaceful nuclear activities in the framework of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and the IAEA regulations. He referred to the point that Iran, as a signitory of the NPT has legitimate right to produce nuclear energy, adding, ˈWe have made this technology fully indigenous in Iran and we are taking medical, agricultural and research advantages of its today.ˈ He pointed out that the Iranian nationˈs right to take peaceful advantage of the nuclear energy is non-negotiable, adding, ˈThe Iranian nation are well aware of their rights and safeguard them mightily.ˈ/end