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Rowhani: Confidence-building is 1st step in talks with Europeans

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, June 27, IRNA -- Secretary of the Supreme National Security 
Council (SNSC) of Iran Hojatoleslam Hassan Rowhani said here on 
Sunday that the first step for resumption of new round and long-term 
talks with Europeans is building up confidence. 
Rowhani told reporters after the closed door session of Majlis 
that the talks aim to prepare the grounds for Iran`s easy access to 
sophisticated nuclear technology. 
He said that possibly talks will be held with Europeans on 
cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). 
He added that the Iranian Majlis has always been actively engaged 
in highly important issues of the state and in the nuclear case, 
which is a very important issue and has many political, cultural, 
social and economic consequences, the guidelines and assistance of 
the parliament would be highly influential. 
The top security official said that SNSC has had good and 
effective collaboration with former terms of Iranian Majlis and it is 
expected to have very good cooperation with the 7th term, hoping 
to attain acceptable outcomes. 
Calling as "undeniable" the role of Majlis in process of decision 
making on nuclear issues, Rowhani said that eventually, the nuclear 
Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) should be raised at Majlis in order to 
be confirmed or rejected by the lawmakers. 
"We cannot distance ourselves from public opinion and 
representatives of the nation and nuclear issue needs consensus 
among all officials," said Rowhani. 
He added that SNSC should have close cooperation with Majlis on 
the nuclear and other security related issues. 
He said Europeans will certainly build up pressures if any decision
taken by Iran runs counter to their wishes. 
As for request on Iran to suspend its P2 program, Rowhani said 
Iran had built up and assembled P2 related parts and the P2 project 
has not been and will not be suspended at all and as before Tehran 
is in stage of investigating the issue. 
Rowhani said that in this phase, Iran has decided to resume 
building and assembling parts and any future decision in this regard 
would depend on the prevailing conditions. 
As for Iran`s cooperation with the big powers, Rowhani said Iran 
is cooperating with Europe, Russia, China and the Non-Aligned group 
of states. 
He said as a token for the cooperation, reference should be made 
to pressures built up by Russia, China and the NAM group of countries 
for changes in clauses seven and eight of the European resolution 
draft presented to the IAEA Board. 
Asked about any attempt on Iran`s part to remove problems with 
the 36 percent contamination, Rowhani said the fault lies with the 
IAEA. He said the Agency should take more samples to make the case 
clear. 
On content of his letter to the European trio, Rowhani said the 
letter bears many positive points but the media has reflected only 
one of its sentence. 
The letter, he added, explains how the Tehran declaration was 
drafted, what are the goals behind long-term talks and why Tehran 
on February went further. 
Also asked whether the IAEA meetings had touched on Israel`s 
nuclear programs, Rowhani said Iran`s nuclear case is different from 
that of Israel. Israel has made violations, produced atomic weapons 
and acquired nuclear arsenal, he added. 
Iran, however, has been subject to unjust allegations of attempt 
to produce nuclear weapons, he added. 
The world has the duty to force Israel but unfortunately, due 
to special reasons, the US and Europeans are not ready to pressure 
Israel and this is not restricted to nuclear weapons, rather they 
refuse to show necessary reactions against massacre of the oppressed 
Palestinian people and put Israel under pressure, said Rowhani. 
Asked whether Iran will continue to stick to its NPT commitments 
if Europe piles more pressure on the country, Rowhani said that 
unfortunately, international organizations, including the UN Security 
Council, the IAEA, and Human Rights Commission, are politicized and 
under political powers` influence instead of being judicial. 
Despite all the pressures, Tehran has had good progress and 
Iran`s case has been restricted to two issues and would not last 
a long time, he said. 
At any rate, the Islamic Republic of Iran will move in line with 
its national interests at any time depending on the kind of 
resolution issued in its case. 
Asked whether Iran will hold direct talks with the US to solve 
its nuclear problem, Rowhani said Americans are present at the IAEA 
and raise their own views. 
Iranian officials think there will be no need for any political 
talks between the two sides, he added. 
Asked to comment on monopolization of the nuclear enrichment 
program, Rowhani said that a committee would be assigned with the task
in Vienna, Austria, but any decision by the committee would take a 
long time. 
Asked whether he would run for the next presidential elections, 
Rowhani said the elections` topic is not yet on the agenda. 
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