Lavrov Urges West To Realize Importance Of Agreement With Iran

Moscow, Nov 16, IRNA – Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called on the western powers to come to realize the significance of reaching an agreement with Iran on the standoff over the latter’s nuclear program. “We hope that our partners realize the importance of an agreement with Iran and prepare a document on Iran’s nuclear program based on colossal agreement,” Lavrov said, addressing a press conference. He said that the Group 5+1 did not prepare a joint document, but the US prepared a plan and Iran agreed with that. The next round of talks between Iran and the six powers – the US, Britain, Russia, China, France and Germany – will resume on November 20. Iran says its nuclear program is a peaceful drive to produce electricity so that the worlds fourth-largest crude exporter can sell more of its oil and gas abroad. Tehran also stresses that the country is pursuing a civilian path to provide power to the growing number of Iranian population, whose fossil fuel would eventually run dry. The US and its western allies allege that Iran is pursuing a nuclear weapons program while they have never presented corroborative evidence to substantiate their allegations against the Islamic Republic. Iran is under four rounds of UN Security Council sanctions for turning down Wests calls to give up its right of uranium enrichment, saying the demand is politically tainted and illogical. Iran has so far ruled out halting or limiting its nuclear work in exchange for trade and other incentives, saying that renouncing its rights under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) would encourage the world powers to put further pressure on the country and would not lead to a change in the Wests hardline stance on Tehran./end