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Major cleric: Iran not to talk with US on its nuclear case

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, June 30, IRNA
Iran-Friday Prayers
An Iranian cleric on Friday ruled out any negotiation with the US on Iran's peaceful nuclear program.

"With regards to our nuclear case, we have nothing to do with the US and principally, our officials will have no talks with the US," said substitute Friday prayers leader of Tehran Hojjatoleslam Ahmad Khatami in his second Friday prayers sermon.

Hojjatoleslam Khatami questioned the US qualification for involvement in the nuclear talks.

"Who the US is that pokes its nose into Iran's nuclear affairs? What is its position? Should anybody, that has power and bullies, get present on all scenes?"

He said Iran will not definitely hold talks on its absolute rights. "Certainly, our officials will not sit on the table to negotiate the absolute rights."

He went on to say, "If Europeans really intend to solve the issue, they should recognise our absolute rights; then, one can sit on the table to negotiate the executive methods, the international treaties as well as controls and supervision."

The Hojatoleslam said Iran is indebted its success in nuclear diplomacy and failure of the US diplomacy to Supreme Leader of Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

"We have not forgotten when they were constantly threatening to send Iran's case to the UN Security Council, keeping the UN Security Council swinging over us alike Damocles Sword and turning it into a bogey.

"They referred the case to the UN Security Council and saw nothing happened; our officials and people did not lose their spirits and therefore, they came to the conclusion that they cannot speak to the Iranian people with the language of force.

"Passage of time showed they cannot speak with a great nation such as the Iranian nation with the language of force and have it sit on the negotiation table."

Elsewhere in his remarks, Hojatoleslam Khatami, who is a member of the Assembly of Experts, mocked the US' terrorism campaign slogans, labeling Americans as "liars."

"The US used terrorism campaign as a pretext to attack such countries as Iraq and Afghanistan," he said.

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