Baku, Azerbaijan, May 7
By Umid Niayesh - Trend:
The final framework of the nuclear talks will be issued by Iran's Supreme Leader, senior Iranian MP has said.
The head of Iran's Parliament National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, Alaeddin Boroujerdi who represents the parliament in the Nuclear Committee of the Iran's Supreme National Security Council said that the committee is one of the rings of a chain of observers, and the last ring which issues the framework of the negotiations would be set by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Mehr news agency reported on May 7.
Iran's nuclear negotiating team takes the negotiations within the framework which is set by Supreme Leader, the MP added.
After the Geneva nuclear deal, some hardliner MPs criticized nuclear negotiators for not disclosing the Geneva joint Action Plan and at that time, Boroujerdi was chosen to oversee the negotiations as a representative of the parliament members.
The Guardian quoted Iran's deputy foreign minister and top negotiator, Abbas Araqchi as saying Iran's president, Hassan Rouhani, was keen for a deal in order to end sanctions but the supreme leader, was "not optimistic" agreement could be reached.
Araqchi also added that "there are some people in the Iran's parliament who are very critical and we must answer to them."
Under a six-month interim deal between Iran and the P5+1 which took effect on Jan. 20, the six major powers agreed to give Iran access to its $4.2 billion in revenues blocked overseas if the country fulfills the deal's terms which offer sanctions relief in exchange for steps on curbing the Iranian nuclear program.
Iran and P5+1 intend to continue their talks to reach a final comprehensive agreement on the issue.
The U.S. and its Western allies suspect Iran of developing a nuclear weapon - something that Iran denies. The Islamic Republic has on numerous occasions stated that it does not seek to develop nuclear weapons, using nuclear energy for medical research instead.