Iran is not seeking nuclear weapons but maintains its right to the peaceful use of nuclear energy, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said on Saturday, one day ahead of the country's fourth round of indirect talks with the United States in Oman.
Speaking at the fourth Arab-Iranian Dialogue Conference in Doha, Araghchi reiterated that Iran has always been a committed member of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation and maintains its right to the peaceful use of nuclear energy, including uranium enrichment, within the framework of the international law.
Criticizing the double standards of Western countries and all those who claim to oppose nuclear weapons, Araghchi said they cannot claim to be concerned about the peaceful nuclear energy of Iran and other countries in the region, but allow an "occupying, aggressor, and genocidal regime" to possess a large arsenal of nuclear weapons.
Araghchi stressed that Iran will continue to engage in talks with the United States, Europe, as well as other countries and regions, in good faith.
If the goal of these negotiations is to ensure that Iran does not acquire nuclear weapons, this is entirely achievable, and an agreement is well within reach, Araghchi said.
However, if the goal is to deprive Iran of its nuclear rights or impose other unrealistic and irrational demands, Iran will not retreat from any of these rights, he added.
On the upcoming talks with the United States, Araghchi clarified that the exact time and place of the talks will be determined by Oman, the intermediary party.
Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Akbar Ahmadian said earlier this week that the negotiations with Washington remains "unpredictable", emphasizing that progress in talks "hinges squarely on the U.S. conduct".
Iran's negotiating stance remains anchored in "unmistakably clear red lines", Ahmadian said, adding Tehran refuses to engage under coercion.
Iranian and U.S. delegations have held three rounds of indirect talks so far -- the first and third in Muscat, capital of Oman on April 12 and April 26, and the second in Italy's Rome on April 19.
Iran maintains its right to peaceful use of nuclear energy: FM
Iran maintains its right to peaceful use of nuclear energy: FM
