Iran denies claims it offered ‘nine-step plan’ on nuclear issue

TEHRAN,Oct.7(MNA) – The secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council on Saturday denied the news reports claiming that the Islamic Republic has offered a “nine-step plan” to help resolve the country’s nuclear issue. “No new proposal outside the framework of the negotiations with the 5+1 group (the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany) has been presented, and claims made by certain American media outlets in this regard are unfounded,” SNSC Secretary Saeed Jalili said. The New York Times reported on Friday that Iranian officials have begun to describe what they call a “nine-step plan” to defuse the nuclear crisis with the West by gradually suspending the production of the uranium that would be easiest for them to convert into a nuclear weapon. The newspaper claimed that the Iranian plan is based on a proposal made to European officials in July. It essentially calls for a step-by-step dismantling of the sanctions while the Iranians end work at one of two sites where they are enriching what is known as “20 percent uranium.” Only when the Iranians reach step No. 9 — after all the sanctions are gone and depressed oil revenues have begun to flow again — would there be a “suspension” of the medium-enriched uranium production at the deep underground site called Fordo. The United States has not put a formal offer on the table. But the outline of a way to a solution they described to Iranian officials before the summer is almost the mirror image of the alleged Iranian nine-step proposal. Under the American vision, Iran would halt all production of its 20 percent enriched uranium immediately, ship the existing stockpile out of the country, and close the Fordo plant. Then the United States and its allies would offer some cooperation on civilian nuclear projects, and would agree not to add new sanctions at the United Nations Security Council. But the sanctions on Iran would remain in place until a final deal is reached. Iran waiting for 5+1 response to its proposals SNSC Deputy Secretary Ali Baqeri also said on Saturday that Iran is waiting for the six major powers’ response to the proposals it put forward at the Baghdad talks on May 23 and 24 and elaborated on at the Moscow talks on June 18 and 19. He also said, “The 5+1 group’s constructive response to the proposals can pave the way for a new round of talks between Iran and the 5+1 group.” “The framework of Iran’s proposals has not changed from what was presented in Moscow,” he added. The main points of Iran’s package of proposals are as follows: (1) Negotiations must be purposeful. The starting point and the end point of the talks must be made clear. Therefore, it is necessary that a framework be developed for talks and their principles and purposes be determined. (2) Negotiations must be effective and must be based on a step-by-step approach. (3) The framework of talks should be determined, and it must be made clear when and how the talks will end and what path should be taken. (4) and (5) The negotiating countries must recognize Iran’s right to enrichment under the NPT (nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty). Iran’s nuclear rights should not be reduced and no obligations beyond the NPT should be imposed on it. If these points are clarified, the legal status of the United Nations Security Council sanctions can be determined. The UN Security Council has approved four rounds of sanctions on Iran in order to pressure the country over its nuclear program.