Nuclear Issue Can Be Resolved Within A Year: FM

Geneva, Oct 15, IRNA – Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Monday that he believes that the nuclear issue can be resolved within a year. Talking to reporters before arrival in Geneva, he made it clear that President Hassan Rouhani has set a timeline for resolution of the dispute with the western governments over the nuclear program. He said that of course, turning the nuclear issue into an ordinary one depends on the good faith to be proved by the two parties. Zarif said that confidence-building measures must take place by the two sides so that the western governments must take objective action to prove good faith by lifting sanctions and Iran will take objective action to remove concerns about nuclear program and that the two parties must act in a tangible way so that one party cannot accuse the other of procrastination. He said that the two parties must focus on the main issues and avoid raising peripheral ones which account for time killing. “That’s why Iranian government has set a timeline for resolution of the dispute,” he said. Elaborating on procedure for the negotiations, Zarif said, “That’s a hard work. I and my colleagues are ready to answer any question, but we should accept the reality that representatives of Group 5+1 may consult their respective governments after I present it to them. Responding to a question whether Iranian proposal will satisfy the western governments about their concerns, the top diplomat said that Iran is ready to remove their logical concerns but this does not mean giving up legitimate rights. He made it clear that the western governments must know that they should not pursue lose-win strategy, because, they need to understand the reality that Iran has attained such capabilities in the nuclear technology which cannot be eliminated through sanctions and pressure. He said that the negotiating parties must opt for a win-win strategy and the Islamic Republic of Iran has given them objective guarantee that Iranian nuclear program is civilian, a reference to Fatwa (religious edict) of the Supreme Leader prohibiting producing or stockpiling nuclear weapons. Asked whether Iran will give concession in the talks, he said, “We will not seek to get or give concessions during the negotiations. We believe the game can be win-win or lose-lose.” He said the western strategy to get concession from Iran proved futile, because, it only prolonged the nuclear talks and they drove the nuclear talks to lose-lose. Such a situation is not satisfactory for both sides and Iran advises them to focus on win-win strategy./end