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Iran doesn’t pursue military goals in nuclear program

Iran Materials 24 April 2014 20:23 (UTC +04:00)
Iran's nuclear program has never had a military character, the adviser of the Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Kazem Sadjadpour said.
Iran doesn’t pursue military goals in nuclear program

Astana, Kazakhstan, April 24
By Daniyar Mukhtarov - Trend:

Iran's nuclear program has never had a military character, the adviser of the Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Kazem Sadjadpour said.

"I state that Iran had not, has not and does not intend to have military intentions while implementing its nuclear program. Therefore, this double implication in this matter should be removed in the negotiation process and thus the concern should be lifted," Sadjadpour said at a meeting of the XII Eurasian Media Forum in Astana.

The sanctions against Iran lead to even more confrontation among the parties, according to the diplomat.

"U.S. is too focused on the sanctions. We are told that, they impose sanctions in order for Iran to reduce its work on the nuclear program. But the effect was the opposite, we have not reduced, but on the contrary expanded work. Sanctions have shown that they are ineffective," Sadjadpour said.

And in the end, because of sanctions, Iran will resist and the entire region will react to this, as all will support Iranian efforts to defend its independence, the diplomat believes.

Opinion about the ineffectiveness of sanctions against Iran is also shared by the CEO of the Center for Study of Modern Iran, Rajab Safarov.

"The Americans are very addicted of the policy of imposing sanctions. They built an iron curtain, in order not to hear others, and it became a source of destabilization of the situation in many countries. The sanctions against Iran imposed to push it out of the economic space, and they make Iranians defend and be self-sufficient," Safarov said.

Iran's nuclear program is deeply politicized, he believes.

"It is not needed to make Iran a monster, because the IAEA has no evidence that Iran creates weapons ... However Iran excels and tries to prove that its nuclear program is of a peaceful nature, the United States still does not believe it, as it intends to control the supply of resources to China, which is growing rapidly and increases its power, as well as to confront Russia," Safarov said.

Former Indian Deputy Foreign Minister Rajiv Sikri also believes that the imposition of sanctions is not the way to put the world in order.

Iran is a country with a thousand years of history ... this is an ancient people. Iranians are smart people, but not suiciders who are just waiting to press the nuclear button. This is the nation that has the dignity to which suspicion and mistrust are offensive and that can not be touched, " he said.

The president of the National Iranian American Council Trita Parsi said that the U.S., excessive persistence hinders solving of the Iranian problem.

"The problem is that the U.S. is aggressively seeking the closure of the Iranian nuclear program. If there was not be such persistence, the negotiation process would be much more successful. Though now progress has been made, and both sides are trying to find a compromise," he said.

At the same time, the former Speaker of the House of Representatives (1995-1999) Newt Gingrich said that sanctions are the most viable option for solving the Iranian problem.

"I do not like sanctions, but it may be the least bad solution of the current situation. We do not like that you hide your facilities from the world community ... If all will be transparent in Iran to the international community, the IAEA experts, only then the credibility will emerge to the Iranian nuclear program ... If nuclear program has no military character, then do not bury your facilities, do not hide them, be open and transparent, and everything looked as if you are pursuing the goal is to create a military nuclear program, " he said.

The U.S., other Western countries, and Israel suspect Iran of developing nuclear weapons under the guise of a peaceful nuclear energy program. Tehran denies the charges saying its nuclear program is exclusively aimed at meeting the country's electricity needs.

Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council - the US, Britain, France, Russia and China - plus Germany signed the interim deal in the Swiss city of Geneva on November 24, 2013. The two sides started implementing the agreement on Jan. 20 and aim to continue the negotiations in order to reach a final comprehensive deal over Tehran's nuclear energy program.

Under the Geneva agreement, the sextet agreed to provide Iran with some sanctions relief in exchange for Tehran agreeing to limit certain aspects of its nuclear activities during a six-month period.

The 4th round of Iran nuclear talks will take place in Vienna on May 13.

Translated by S.I.
Edited by C.N.

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