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Iran-EU agreement, best decision ever made: Asefi

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, Nov 15, IRNA -- Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi 
here Monday referred to the agreement reached between Iran and the 
European Union (EU) on the Islamic Republic`s nuclear programs as the 
best decision ever made on the issue. 
Addressing his weekly press briefing, he said the details of 
Iran-EU3 (Britain, Germany and France) agreement will be announced in 
the next few hours. 
Terming the discussions held between the two sides as crucial, 
Asefi said there was a qualitative difference between this agreement 
and the previous ones. 
"In the past, Europe and other countries insisted on Iran halting 
its enrichment program, while the new agreement discusses how Iran can
continue its program without worrying other countries. This is a very 
important and qualitative difference," he added. 
In the Iran-EU agreement, the Islamic Republic`s legitimate right 
of access to peaceful nuclear technology has been stressed and we have
not at all passed over the red lines, Asefi told domestic and foreign 
reporters. 
Stressing that the red line is a halt to Iran`s nuclear activities
and not its suspension, he noted that none of Iran`s rights has been 
violated and that the voluntary suspension of the country`s nuclear 
activities has been emphasized upon. 
The agreement signed by the two sides stresses that suspension of 
uranium enrichment by Iran is a voluntary decision on the basis of 
a confidence-building gesture and not a legal obligation, he further 
emphasized. 
Referring to the November 25 meeting of the International Atomic 
Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors as "very important and 
determining", Asefi said Tehran expects the upcoming session would 
prove to bear a serious development. Such developments will help 
Tehran further promote its cooperation with the agency, he added. 
In a letter to the IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei, Tehran
has announced that it would start its voluntary suspension on a 
specified date, he said, adding that IAEA inspectors may come to Iran 
to investigate the matter, he said. 
As to the upcoming Iraq conference in the Egyptian city of Sharm 
el-Sheikh, Asefi said Tehran considers the conference as important and
will take part in the confab at the foreign minister level. 
The current situation in Iraq, expulsion of foreign forces from 
the occupied Iraq, formation of the new Iraqi government, 
reconstruction of that war-torn country and Iraq`s relations with its 
neighboring states will be among major topics to be discussed in the 
Egypt conference, he added. 
Representatives of over 20 world countries, including the US, are 
to attend the conference, he said, adding that Tehran is to brief the 
participants on its stands regarding the current situation in Iraq and
the entire region. 
The US secretary of state will have the opportunity to be directly
informed of Iran`s stands, he said, adding that this is not the first 
meeting attended by both Iran and the US. The two countries had 
previously taken part in meetings on Afghanistan, Asefi added. 
On the future visit to Tehran by the Iraqi prime minister, he said
no exact date has been set for his visit. 
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