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Spokesman calls on new UN chief to solve Iran's nuclear issue peacefully

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, Nov 5, IRNA
Iran-Nuclear-Hosseini
Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad-Ali Hosseini here Sunday said that the new UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon is expected to come up with a peaceful solution to Iran's nuclear issue.

Hosseini made the remark while speaking to domestic and foreign reporters in this week's press conference in response to a question about the recent recommendation of South Korea's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Ki-Moon to Iran to suspend its uranium enrichment.

Meanwhile, he called on the new secretary general to prevent intervention of some powers attempting to disrupt the trend of talks through their bilateral policy.

In response to the question about the reason Iran doesn't reconcile with the US, given that the US does its best to disrupt negotiations on its nuclear issue, he said that the US can end such interference and encourage European states to pursue the correct path.

He underlined that given the US decisive role in disrupting relevant talks, it should not be allowed to play a major role in such a sabotage.

About the future talks between Iran's top nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani and the European Union Foreign Policy Chief Javier Solana, he said that no official schedule has yet been declared.

Replying to another question about the UN Security Council draft resolution on Iran, which underlines both sanctions and possibility of talks, he referred to it as a carrot and stick approach and said that it doesn't work.

Dismissing such an approach, Hosseini said that the issue can only be solved by returning to unconditional talks.

He noted that Russia's approach to Iran's nuclear issue is more realistic and better than the other members of the so called 5+1 group, adding that the approach of Chinese officials is almost similar to the Russians'.

Hosseini said that exchange of views between Iran and Russia and their extensive mutual relations prove that Russia's approach is more realistic.

"The path pursued by the 5+1 group is that of UNSC, which is not appropriate, makes things more complicated and slows down the pace of reaching an understanding.

"The correct path would be to resume talks and return the nuclear dossier to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)," he added.

He noted that the Russians intend to make the new resolution expected to be issued on Iran less strict than the present one.

The spokesman pointed to the recent US maneuver in the Persian Gulf and said that it took place according to calendar programs.

He dismissed the rumor of its being a cold war and said that it is not a threat against Iran and that mainly aims to develop the US defense potential vis-a-vis Iran.

About the postponed visit Iraqi President Jalal Talabani to Tehran, he said that talks are currently underway to schedule the visit and reach agreement on the date of his trip.

Hosseini said that Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko will arrive in Tehran Sunday night.

Responding to the question whether Iran's nuclear issue will be discussed with President Lukashenko, he said, "In its talks with various countries, Iran is quite transparent on the issue." The spokesman referred to the 14th international conference of Central Asia and Caucasus dubbed `Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO): Prospects and Opportunities' which was held in Iran last week and said, "Iran believes that SCO has a growing capacity which should be used optimally.

"We believe that to promote the security of SCO member states, expansion of multifaceted cooperation among them is unavoidable." He urged that the organization's member states should prepare the grounds for long-term cooperation.

The spokesman referred to the rallies marking the take-over of the US embassy in Tehran on November 4, 1979, which has since been observed annually as National Day of the Campaign Against Global Arrogance on Saturday, attended by pupils and students, and underlined that government officials will undoubtedly defend the legitimate rights of the Iranian nation.

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