Iran’s nuclear rights must be recognized: Iranian deputy chief nuclear negotiator

TEHRAN,March 2(MNA) – Iran’s deputy chief nuclear negotiator said that the country’s nuclear rights must be fully recognized. “Iran expects to see all its nuclear rights recognized, and, in line with this, it does not accept any precondition on the way forward,” Ali Baqeri, the deputy secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said in an interview broadcast live on Iranian television on Thursday night when asked about the most recent talks between Iran and world powers. Tehran and the 5+1 group (the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany) held meetings in Almaty, Kazakhstan, on Tuesday and Wednesday and agreed to return to further negotiations in the same country on April 5 and 6. Baqeri said that Iran “expects the other side to officially announce that it recognizes Iran’s nuclear rights. In addition, during the process of negotiations and cooperation, both sides must take reciprocal steps. Iran is ready to take simultaneous steps that are equal in weigh and nature.” “Before anything else, the two sides should accept a number of principles. Mutual trust, goodwill, and the spirit of the NPT (Non-Proliferation Treaty) must form the basis of any kind of agreement,” he added. World powers had previously demanded that Iran halt 20 percent enrichment, shut down the Fordo uranium enrichment facility, and ship all of its stocks of 20 percent enriched uranium out of the country. Iran’s main demand is that its right to uranium enrichment, as enumerated in the NPT, be recognized.