The secretary of Irans Supreme National Security Council says Tehran is determined to pursue the path of negotiations with six major world powers on the countrys nuclear energy program.Ali Shamkhani made the comments during a meeting with Syrian Prime Minister Wael al-Halqi in Tehran on Saturday.
Shamkhani also stressed that a lack of commitment on the part of the Sextet would prompt due response from Tehran.
Undoubtedly, any measure or behavior which directly or implicitly contradicts the obligations of the opposite party and is not based on goodwill will trigger a proportionate response, he said.
On November 24, Iran and the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council -- Britain, China, France, Russia and the US -- plus Germany sealed an interim deal in Geneva to lay the groundwork for the full resolution of the Wests decade-old dispute with Iran over its nuclear energy program.
In exchange for Irans confidence-building bid to limit certain aspects of its nuclear activities, the six world powers agreed to lift some of the existing sanctions against Tehran.
Referring to the Syria crisis, Shamkhani criticized the countries which are pursuing their own interests in the Arab country by fueling war and violence there under the pretext of promoting democracy.
However, he expressed optimism that the resistance of the Syrian nation against Takfiri militants has shed light on the crimes committed by foreign-backed terrorist groups in the country and triggered global outrage against the militants.
The official reiterated Tehrans support for any international effort aimed at ending bloodshed in Syria and stressed the need for a Syrian solution to the conflict in the country.
Halqi, for his part, hailed Tehrans full support for Syrian people, noting that a political solution is the only way to restore peace and stability in Syria.
Syria has been gripped by a deadly crisis since 2011. According to reports, the Western powers and their regional allies -- namely Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Turkey -- are supporting the militants operating inside Syria.
More than 100,000 people have been killed since the beginning of the conflict in Syria in March 2011, while unrelenting militancy has also forced millions of Syrians to flee their homes.
By Press TV
The Iran Project is not responsible for the content of quoted articles.
