Iran preserves its nuclear fuel cycle: Iranian official

TEHRAN, Aug. 18 (MNA) – Iran’s nuclear negotiator has said the Islamic Republic has always persisted to have fuel cycle. Takht Ravanchi made the remarks in National Conference on Nuclear Policy Progress Appraisal held by foreign ministry. Iran's deputy-FM for Europe and North America and Chief Nuclear Negotiator Majid Takht Ravanchi said on Monday that after the Islamic Revolution of Iran US and its allies have made a lot of efforts to represent anything related to Iran as an issue of security. “The US and its allies have tried to sabotage Iran's relations with its neighboring countries,” said Takht Ravanchi and that “from the beginning they threatened Iran of sending its nuclear dossier to UN Security Council.” He further pointed to all Iran’s nuclear negotiations with the 5+1 sextet and IAEA through past decade and said that “had the other side shown good will, we would have reached a deal once the nuclear issue was raised as a topic by west.” Takht Ravanchi added that there was no reason to send Iran’s nuclear dossier to the UN Security Council back in 2005 and in no UN Security Council report had it ever been mentioned that Iran violated any NPT articles. Deputy FM said that “Iran has always been ready to solve the nuclear issue; Iran negotiates within the framework of its own redlines, but it needs the other side’s good will to reach a final deal in November.” He also pointed to the western sanctions imposed upon Iran with the pretext of nuclear issue and said that “despite sanctions, many countries are willing to cooperate with Iran in economic fields.” Iran and G5+1 – US, UK, France, China and Russia plus Germany – had clinched a landmark interim deal in Geneva on November 24, 2013. Under the deal, dubbed the Geneva Joint Plan of Action, the six countries undertook to provide Iran with some sanctions relief in exchange for Iran agreeing to limit certain aspects of its nuclear activities during a six-month period. The agreement took effect on January 20. On July 18, Iran and the six countries agreed on the extension of nuclear talks until November 24. Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Yukiya Amano made a day-long visit to Tehran on Sunday and held talks with senior Iranian officials including President Hassan Rouhani, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and Vice President and Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran Ali Akbar Salehi. Yukiya Amano has hailed Iran's determination to settle issues pertaining to its nuclear energy program through cooperation with the nuclear agency. On his Sundaymeeting with President Rouhani Amano expressed hopes that the agreement signed with Iran would provide frameworks for resolving ambiguities in the past and present. “The IAEA appreciates Iran’s transparency in its nuclear issue and will try to use the opportunity to develop a good model of cooperation,” he added.