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FM spokesman: Nuclear talks going on in positive atmosphere

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, April 27, IRNA -- Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Hassan Qashqavi said the talks over Iran’s peaceful nuclear program was going on smoothly in a positive atmosphere.

Talking to reporters during his weekly press briefing, he said Iran’s statement came as a response to the Group 5+1 statement.

He said there has also been a phone call between Iran’s top nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili and the European Union Foreign Policy chief Javier Solana in which the latter said the statement included a number of constructive points which could improve the atmosphere prevailing the talks.

However, Qashqavi declined from commenting on the precise content of Iran's new package, saying it was still being compiled and will be publicly announced once it is completed.

He also said Japan’s Foreign Minister was soon to visit Tehran to discuss issues of mutual interest and improve Tehran-Toyo ties.

Turning to the massacre of Iranian pilgrims by terrorists in Iraq on April 23-24, the spokesman said that the occupying forces were directly responsible for the security situation in Iraq.

He said that according to international conventions, the US is the occupying power and responsible to restore law and order in Iraq. Washington must respect security as the very basic human rights in Iraq, he said.

Pointing out to the location of the terror attacks against the convoy of Iranian pilgrims, he said the Diala province was still under the authority of the US forces and the security situation was still controlled by American soldiers not the Iraqi forces.

He said Iran insisted that the agents behind the attacks be identified, arrested and tried in courts.

In answer to a question about the case of the Iranian-American journalist Roxana Saberi who is convicted in an Iranian court on charges of espionage, Qashqavi said the case is an internal issue and the foreign countries had nothing to do with it.

He recommended foreign governments and individuals to abide by international regulations and not to interfere in the case and said Saberi had entered Iran and was living in the country with Iranian identity cards and certificates.

He rejected any speculations that the case of Saberi was being manipulated for political objectives and said Saberi’s attorney has already asked for a revision in the verdict which will be considered by Iran’s judiciary in due manner.

The spokesman also said he had heard nothing of any application by American civil rights activist Jesse Jackson to visit Iran in connection with Saberi’s case.

Meanwhile, Qashqavi said that the Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was planning a visit to Latin American countries including Brazil.

Elsewhere in his remarks he commented on the recent visit of the US Secretary of State to Baghdad and urged America to respect the national sovereignty of Iraq and Lebanon and not to interfere in their domestic affairs.

He said occupation was the sister of terrorism and as such terror attacks were expected to fall dramatically once the occupying forces leave the country.

He also described as normal the trend of dispatching Iranian pilgrims for Minor Hajj and said that some problems in visa issuance by Saudi Arabia was normal.

Qashqavi also said Iran’s financial aid to Pakistan was quite legal and was based on the Parliament’s approval.

He said the presence of powerful Iranian companies in Pakistan within the framework of tender projects would help them export their technical and engineering services.