Publish Date: 23 January 2012 - 13:10

A senior Iranian lawmaker has warned against Western anti-Iran efforts, saying the Islamic Republic will draw on all necessary means to defend its sovereign interests against threats.

The US and West should accept the realities about Iran and realize that Iran is a powerful country, Chairman of the Majlis Committee on National Security and Foreign Policy Alaeddin Boroujerdi said on Sunday.

Iran's policy has never been based on war and conflict; however, Tehran will not grin and bear it when its interests are undermined, he added.

The Iranian legislator also pointed to a Friday statement by the European Union foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton, which reiterates the openness of the P5+1 - Russia, China, France, Britain and the US plus Germany - to the talks with Iran, and urged goodwill to achieve outcomes.

If the P5+1 shows goodwill, talks will bear fruit; but, if it intends to repeat the previous rhetoric, the move will also be a repeat of the previous failures, Boroujerdi stated.

In her statement, Ashton announced that the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany (P5+1) are ready to resume talks with Iran over the country's nuclear program.

A diplomatic path remains open to Iran despite tougher sanctions and fresh speculations of a military strike on its nuclear facilities, she added.

The Iranian lawmaker reiterated Tehran's commitment to the regulations of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and said any illegal measures against Iran such as sanctions and resolutions are unacceptable and will create a negative atmosphere in the upcoming talks.

The last round of multifaceted talks between Iran and the P5+1 was held in Turkey's port city of Istanbul in January 2011.

The US, Israel and their European allies accuse Iran of pursuing a military nuclear program and have convinced the UN Security Council to impose four rounds of sanctions on the country.

Tehran says as a signatory to the NPT and a member state of the IAEA, it has the right to acquire and develop atomic technology for peaceful purposes.
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