Iran not left nuclear negotiations

Iran once again dismissed the Western allegations that it has been made to return to the negotiating table under economic sanctions, stressing that its nuclear negotiators have always participated in the talks with Group 5+1 (five permanent UN Security Council member plus Germany) and never left negotiations, Mehrnews reported.

"The Group 5+1 (G5+1) mentioned that 'Iran is returning to the negotiating table', but this is baseless (claim) because as the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution (Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei) has stated we (Iran) have never left the negotiating table," Iran's Deputy Chief Negotiator Ali Baqeri said on Monday.

"In fact our proposal is still with them and they have responded to it yet," he added, explaining that this is the West which is stonewalling the talks.

"We have always been ready for negotiations with the other side (G5+1) and elaborated on our proposals during the Moscow talks in a transparent way," Baqeri, who is also Undersecretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), said.

Earlier today, another senior Iranian foreign policy official also voiced Tehran's readiness to review the 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," Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister for Asia, Oceania and Commonwealth (Central Asia) Affairs Seyed Abbas Araqchi said.

Baqeri had also earlier this month said that Tehran was waiting for the world powers' response to its proposal which was presented in the Moscow talks in June, adding that the response would pave the way for future talks between the two sides.

"A constructive response by the Group 5+1 (the five permanent UN Security Council members plus Germany) to these proposals can pave the ground for the start of a new round of talks between Iran and G5+1," Baqeri said on October 6.

Meantime, He dismissed the western media reports alleging that Iran has changed its proposals to the West, and underscored that the framework of Iran's proposal has not changed compared with the package presented to the world powers in Moscow.

"Iran presented its desired framework in Moscow and it has presented a more detailed explanation of its proposals for the Group 5+1 after the talks (in Moscow)," the deputy chief negotiator reiterated.

Last week, Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei strongly rejected the West's claims that the growing pressures on Iran is for Tehran's refusal to return to the negotiation table, describing the allegations as smear campaign.

Addressing a group of Iranian people in the country's Northeastern province on North Khorassan on Tuesday, the Leader noted the western powers' media hype about Iran, and said the western claims that Iran has left talks and negotiations is "propaganda fraud and smear campaign".

"They (westerners) continue saying that pressures on Iran are aimed at brining the Islamic Republic back to the negotiating table, but when did we leave the negotiations about various issues, including the nuclear issue, to need to go back now," Ayatollah Khamenei said.

"The actual goal of those pursuing such a political propaganda formula is (making) the Iranian nation's surrender at the negotiation table," the Leader said, and addressing the western powers, added, "But, you are too small to bring the struggling, insightful and informed Iranian nation to its knees."


/Trend/