Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif[/caption]Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says Tehran and the P5+1 group need to reach a balanced nuclear deal to make sure it will remain a lasting agreement.
In an interview with the CNN published on Thursday, Zarif said the six states the US, France, Britain, Russia, China and Germany have yet to come up with more serious ways of addressing Tehrans concerns before the two sides can ink a permanent accord on Irans nuclear energy program.
He explained that Irans concerns are not merely confined to the US-led bans on the country, but also include a number of other issues adopted in Novembers interim deal such as technical cooperation in the field of nuclear energy and cooperation to provide Iran access to international energy market.
This needs to be a balanced deal in order [for it] to be lasting deal, this cannot be an imposition, the top Iranian diplomat said.
The Iranian foreign minister further said the United States has not achieved anythingby imposing draconian sanctions on Iran, which, he added,have engendered a lot of resentment among Iranians.
Zarif further emphasized the need for a paradigm shift within the US Congress, which has on numerous occasions backed the tightening of anti-Iran bans, adding that the time for pressure and exclusion is gone.
Commenting on the possibility of extending the July 20 deadline for drafting a final nuclear accord, Zarif said Tehran and the six states are currently discussing the technicalities of the issue,adding thatthe two sides also need to make a political decision whether they have enough to warrant an extension.
I think we have made enough serious discussion for us to think about the feasibility of continuing these discussions, added the Iranian foreign minister.
Iran and its negotiating partners are currently in talks to thrash out their differences and achieve a permanent comprehensive agreement to end the decade-old dispute over Tehrans civilian nuclear work.
The two sides sealed an interim deal in Geneva, Switzerland, last November.
Zarif has said If Tehran and its negotiating partners agree to the extension of nuclear negotiations, the discussions will continue until November 24 as stipulated in last years interim deal, dubbed the Joint Plan of Action.
By Press TV
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