FM: Pressures Unable to Dissuade Iran from Continued N. Progress

(FNA)- Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif underlined that sanctions and pressures cannot discourage Tehran from continuing its nuclear program.

“Sanction is not a good tool for the settlement of international problems as well as Iran’s nuclear issue, and today that we have come close to a solution, the other side should leave its pressure leverage and understand that they cannot talk with the Iranian people through pressure,” Zarif said in a joint press conference with his Armenian counterpart Edward Nalbandian in Yerevan on Tuesday.

He also expressed hope that Iran and the Group 5+1 (the US, Russia, China, Britain and France plus Germany) could reach a solution at the earliest, and said, “We believe that such a solution will not harm anyone and will certainly benefit all countries, including the regional states.”

Zarif underscored the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear program once again, and said most world states agree with Tehran that Iran is entitled to the right to use peaceful nuclear technology and enrich uranium.

“But those states that have concerns should know that we have been and are ready to remove these concerns,” he added.

In relevant remarks on Sunday, Zarif warned the western states to avoid exerting further pressure on Tehran, saying that intensifying sanctions would backfire.

"The negotiations should yield results but the western and US politicians should know that sanctions have yielded nothing, but damage to the West and continued pressures on Iran will be useless," Zarif said in a joint press conference with his Croatian counterpart Vesna Pusic in Tehran.

Asked if there will be a ministerial meeting between Iran and G5+1 in Zurich, he said, "No decision has yet been taken in this regard."

The 10th round of negotiations between Iran and the six world powers was held in Vienna from November 18 to 24, where the seven nations decided to extend the talks until July after they failed to strike an agreement.

The latest round of the nuclear talks between the two sides was held at the level of deputy foreign ministers in Geneva, Switzerland, on January 18.

The two sides decided to continue their talk early in February.

Both Iran and the G5+1 negotiators have underlined that cutting a final deal before the July 10 deadline is possible.