AEOI Chief: Iran Not to Surrender in N. Talks

(FNA)- Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Ali Akbar Salehi underlined that the West has no other option but to interact with Tehran, stressing that Iran will never surrender to the excessive demands of the western states in the nuclear talks.

"Based on the summarized information that we receive, the West has been left with no other option but interaction (with Iran) and no other way can be imagined for them, although other ways will not be appropriate for anyone," Salehi told reporters on the sidelines of massive rallies marking the 36th anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Revolution in Tehran and other cities on Wednesday.

"Iran will continue the talks with honor and it will not raise its hands up," he added.

Salehi underscored Iran's good will in the nuclear talks with the world powers, and expressed the hope that the other side would follow suit.

In relevant remarks today, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani stressed the necessity for the annulment of all sanctions against the country, and dismissed the US officials' claims that Tehran had sit to the negotiating table with powers under pressures and sanctions.

"Those who state that Iran has come to the negotiations due to sanctions are uttering lies; Iran has sit to the negotiating table not as a result of pressures but for the sake of logic and for the establishment of peace in the region and the world," Rouhani said, addressing millions of people participating in the February 11 rallies.

He asked the western officials if their claims that Iran had sit to the negotiating table due to sanctions were true, then why they didn’t impose further embargos on the nation and had resorted to talks with Tehran, instead.

"Speak honestly and admit that you have been left with no other option against the Iranian nation but interaction, and say it to the world out loud that if you intend to establish peace and stability and uproot terrorism in the Middle-East region, you have no way out but (to interact with) the Islamic Republic," Rouhani underscored.

Stressing that Iran was after a win-win understanding with the world powers, Rouhani said, "This means that if Iran shows transparency in its peaceful nuclear program within the framework of the international regulations, the other side should also end the illegal sanctions and this will benefit both sides."

Also on Sunday, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei complained that the behavior of the Americans and their European allies in the negotiations is illogical as they expect all their excessive demands to be met, "but this is not the way of negotiation".

Ayatollah Khamenei approved of the Iranian officials' standing up to the other side's excessive demands, and said, "The Islamic ruling system acts on a logical basis in the nuclear talks, but the other side has no logic and is pursuing irrationality by relying on bullying."

The Supreme Leader reiterated that the Iranian nation will not tolerate bullying, excessive demands and illogical behavior.

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.

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