Azerbaijan, Baku, May 28/ Trend F.Eminli/
Iranian presidential candidate Hassan Rouhani sharply criticized the nuclear negotiating team, which is headed by another presidential candidate Saeed Jalili, as well as the national and international policies.
In a TV interview, Rouhani, who served as the National Security Council chef during the presidency of Mohammad Khatami (1997 to 2005), stated that when Iran negotiated with France, Britain, and Germany (in 2003) about Iran's nuclear ambitions, at that time, the U.S. was attempting to put forward the issue at the UN Security Council, but, we acted so that the country did not face with sanctions, and we changed the threat into an opportunity.
The UN imposed four rounds of economic sanctions during the presidency of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad against Iran. The EU and the U.S. also levied tough sanctions against Iran, so that the country's oil exports halved in 2012 compared to previous year.
At that time, nuclear negotiations were carried out in the ministerial level, but at present the talks are in the director general level, Rouhani added.
Rouhnai had previously said that nuclear talks between Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council are conducted by deputy ministers who are not authorized as much as ministers.
"In 2003, three European ministers were invited to Iran. At that time, just 10 centrifuges were in operation in Natanz (uranium enrichment plant) and the total number of centrifuges in the country was 150. We needed time to complete that," Rouhani said.
In response to allegations about halting all nuclear activities in 2003, he said that UCF (uranium conversion facility in Esfahan city) was inaugurated in 2004. Some months later, the yellow cake producing plant came on stream. We did not stop the nuclear program, but enhanced it.
Referring to the economic situation of the country, he said, "Some problems can be resolved in a short term, but some other require a long time. About 41,000 industrial units across the country need funds to be completed. If just 340 trillion rials (about $14 billion based on USD rate in Iran's Forex Center) are allocated, the units will come on stream and 499,000 jobs will be created."
"The 20-Year Outlook Plan had provided for an 8 percent growth rate, but the growth rate is currently about 3 percent. The question is which country in the region has an inflation rate of above 30 percent? People have been facing with 40 percent and higher inflation during the last 12 months. If domestic production booms, unemployment will be resolved and we will not have to import low-quality products," Rouhani said.
The International Monetary Fund estimated Iran's economy contraction to be 1.9 percent in 2012.
Iran's presidential election will be held on June 14.
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