Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 8
By Khalid Kazimov - Trend:
Speaking at the Munich Security Conference, Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said that if the country and the P5+1 fail in reaching a comprehensive deal on Iran's nuclear program, it will not be the end of the world, ISNA news agency reported on Feb. 8.
"Everyone must know that the only way to gain a result is through respect for Iran and through negotiations," he asserted.
"If no agreement comes by no one would blame us; rather the ones who made excessive demands are to blame," Zarif said.
He also maintained that economic sanctions imposed on Iran by Western powers have not succeeded, demanding that the sanctions have to be lifted entirely at once.
Asked about his opinion on objections by some Iranian MPs of his recent walk with US Secretary of State John Kerry downtown Geneva, Zarif said that the fact that the MPs have made objections signifies freedom of speech in Iran.
"I think that extending the talks any more would not benefit anyone, because I do not think it would be either necessary or constructive," he further noted.
The talks between Iran and the P5+1 (the US, the UK, Russia, China, France and Germany) group were extended until July 1, 2015 to reach a comprehensive nuclear agreement.
After the sides failed to meet the Nov. 24, 2014 deadline they also extended the Geneva nuclear deal, which was signed in Nov. 2013 to provide Iran with some sanctions relief in exchange for Tehran agreeing to limit certain aspects of its nuclear activities.
The US and its Western allies suspect Iran of developing a nuclear weapon - something that Iran denies.