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Rowhani: I hope EU would not waste fruits of mutual efforts

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Pretoria, July 26, IRNA
Rowhani-EU-Nuke
Secretary of Supreme National Security Council Hassan Rowhani said in Johannesburg Monday, "Keeping in mind prevailing realities, we have reminded EU of our minimum expectations, and I hope the decision they make would not waste fruits of our mutual efforts.

Iran's top negotiator with EU3 on our country's nuclear programs who arrived in South Africa's capital on Monday afternoon atop a political delegation on an invitation extended to him by President Thaho Mbeki made the remark in a short talk with IRNA.

Further elaborating the status of Iran's nuclear dossier and its relation with his ongoing visit of South Africa, Rowhani said, "We are going to consult with high ranking South African officials on the latest developments in Iran's nuclear dossier."
Referring to satisfactory level of Iran's cooperation with Non Aligned Movement (NAM) countries within the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), he said, "South Africa has been quite dynamic within the IAEA and other international bodies in recent decades."
Referring to Iran's last week talks with EU3, Rowhani said, "Iran would wait for European countries' comprehensive cooperation proposal, due to be presented by the end of current month, July, or in early August.

He warned, "If that proposal would be arranged in a way to face Iran's rejection, we might be faced with new conditions."
Focussing on European countries' reaction following victory of President Elect Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Rowhani noted, "The signs we received during the first days after that event were not positive and caused our dissatisfaction with the European negotiating countries." He added, "It will not be acceptable for us if the EU would intend to let the result of Iran's recent presidential elections influence our nuclear talks with them and furthermore, they should respect what is the choice of the Iranian nation in a free and fair election." Iran's top nuclear negotiator added, "I have lately emphasized in a letter addressed to the ministers of foreign affairs of the three EU countries that the result of Iran's election would have absolutely no effect on process of negotiations."
Secretary of Supreme National Security Council added, "The two sides have reached a relatively satisfactory point now, and I hope we would be able to witness the fruits of our mutual efforts in the future."
Focussing on his responsibility in Iran's nuclear dossier in Iran's next government, Rowhani said, "As I have earlier mentioned, I have been commissioned by President Khatami's cabinet to deal with the issue and my mission in that respect would therefore last till the end of his tenure."
He said, "Either I, or any other official at this post, would be pursuing the system's policies and I believe the country's general policies regarding nuclear programs would remain unchanged." Iran's Ambassador to Johannesburg Mohammad Ali Qanezadeh received Rowhani at Johannesburg Airport upon his arrival there Monday afternoon.

Secretary of Supreme National Security Council is scheduled to meet South African President Thaho Mbeki in Pretoria on Tuesday.

The Islamic Republic of Iran suspended both its centrifuge work at Natanz and its conversion research in the central city of Isfahan "temporarily and as a trust-building measure" as part of last year's agreement with the European Union.

The EU big three of Britain, France and Germany have been holding talks with Iran on how it can provide long-term guarantees that its nuclear programs are purely civil in return for various incentives.

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