Jalili terms talks with EU foreign policy chief useful
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
Istanbul, May 16, IRNA -- Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Saeed Jalili described on Thursday his talks with the European Union Foreign Policy chief Catherine Ashton as prolonged and useful.
He told a press conference at Iranian Consulate General in Istanbul that representatives of Iran and Group 5+1 held long and useful negotiations and the two sides could enter into details.
At the end of last night meeting, the two sides agreed to offer new ideas to proceed with negotiations.
Defending the legitimate rights of Iran in making use of peaceful nuclear energy as well as enrichment of uranium will be on the agenda of such talks, he said.
Referring to Iran's upcoming presidential election, Jalili said the Islamic Republic of Iran with reliance upon national consensus as well as its potentials in the region can play significant role to help maintain peace in the region and in the entire globe.
On Iran's stand on Syria, he said Iran's stand was clear from the early days of crisis and the Islamic Republic of Iran strongly opposes any military intervention or acts of violence in Syria.
'We underlined that Syrian crisis has one solution and that is restoration of democracy through national dialogue and holding free and fair election under the auspices of the United Nations,' he said.
He said that all should help prepare the ground for a national dialogue in Syria before holding democratic election as the Syrian people should make decision on their own fate.
On differences between Iran and US, Jalili said Iranian problems with the United States are very deep-rooted, this is the difference between a nation who wanted to be free and the US which wanted to back a dictator (Pahlavi dynasty).
Following collapse of a dictatorship system in Iran, a popular religious system came to power and that the United States never hesitates to take subversive action against it, he said.
Jalili said that immediately after establishment of the Islamic Republic in Iran, the United States encouraged Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein to impose an eight-year war on Iran.
It is about 30 years that the US has imposed economic sanctions on Iran, he said adding that the Islamic Republic of Iran is determined to defend its legal rights but the US has got disappointed with its anti-Iran strategy.
They are witnessing that the Iranian people have achieved remarkable progres during the period as they could turn sanctions into opportunities, he said.
Elaborating on the progress Iran achieved in science and technology, Jalili said that the Islamic Republic of Iran is among top ten countries which has attained peaceful nuclear energy.
He said that now the ball is at the US court to make decision on whether they want to continue cooperation with dictators and terrorists or they are to opt for a new way.
He expressed outrage at three-decade US hostility with the Islamic Republic of Iran and said that such heinous measures will harm the image of the US among world nations more than ever.
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