Tehran - A settlement of the Iranian nuclear dispute would
be feasible if the issue were tackled 'correctly' and the United
States clarified its new position, Iran's parliament Speaker Ali
Larijani said Monday.
'Instead of coming up with preconditions, they (world powers)
should resume the talks and clearly articulate their concerns so that
we can find was to settle them,' he told reporters in Tehran.
'If the concern is that we are moving towards nuclear weapons,
then the international supervision could be made in a way to remove
this concern,' said Larijani, who served from 2005 to 2007 as chief
nuclear negotiator.
'But if the demand is aimed at depriving Iran of nuclear
technology, then this demand would neither be legal nor acceptable
for the Iranian nation,' Larijani said.
For the last six years, the so-called 5+1 - the five permanent
members of the United Nations Security Council plus Germany - have
been dealing with Iran over the nuclear dispute, either directly or
European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana.
The US has so far only attended the talks with the Iranian side
once, but US President Barack Obama has said that Washington is ready
to attend the talks in the future.
'Some elements within the 5+1 tried to sabotage progress of the
talks, but now we are in a different situation,' Larijani said of the
previous and current US administrations.
Larijani however said that the changes proclaimed by Obama should
be within a clear framework 'and not through artificial rhetoric via
the media.'
He was referring to an interview last Monday with a an Arabic TV
network in which Obama said that 'if countries like Iran are willing
to unclench their fist, they will find an extended hand from us.'
Larijani added: 'There is no need to invite us to the negotiation
table, actually those who ran away from talks in the recent years
should now return to the table.'
While the UN Security Council has been calling on Iran to suspend
its uranium enrichment process, Iran says its nuclear programme is
solely for civil and peaceful purposes and in line with the Nuclear
Non-Proliferation Treaty and regulations of the International Atomic
Energy Agency (IAEA).
Despite three UN resolutions and financial sanctions, Iran has so
far refused to give in to any suspension, but says it is willing to
cooperate with the West, even the US, in its nuclear projects,
including the disputed enrichment process.
IAEA head Mohamed ElBaradei said last Friday that opening a
'direct dialogue' by the US with Iran could lead to a 'freeze for
freeze' compromise - Iran stopping expansion of uranium enrichment
and the 5+1 expansion of UN sanctions - adding that the West should
engage rather than isolate Iran.
USA
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