A senior Iranian lawmaker says the next round of talks between Iran and a group of six world powers (P5+1) must focus on the removal of illegal US-engineered sanctions against Tehran.

“Considering the unjust and illegal sanctions imposed by the European Union and the United States against the Iranian nation, the lifting of the bans must be the main subject of the upcoming talks with the P5+1,” Alaeddin Boroujerdi, the chairman of Iran’s Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, said.

The Iranian lawmaker reiterated that all agreements with the P5+1- Britain, China, France, Russia, and the United States plus Germany - must be reached in line with Iran’s national interests and no unilateral concession should be given to the opposite party.


Referring to the venue and date of the upcoming negotiations, Boroujerdi said the talks will probably be held in the Turkish city of Istanbul in February. However, he said, “Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) will make the final decision” in this regard.

The last round of talks between Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany was held in Moscow in June 2012.

Iran and the P5+1 have held several rounds of talks with a focus on Iran’s nuclear energy program.

Iran’s SNSC Secretary Saeed Jalili has said that Tehran welcomes the readiness of the six major world powers to hold constructive talks with Iran.

“Just as Iran feels obligated to act within the framework of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) regulations and in line with the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), it is adamant on asserting its rights within the same framework,” Jalili stated on January 4.

The United States, Israel and some of their allies have falsely accused Iran of pursuing non-civilian objectives in its nuclear energy program. The US and certain other countries have imposed sanctions against the Islamic Republic over the unfounded allegation.

Iran has vehemently rejected the allegations against its nuclear energy program, arguing that as a committed signatory to the NPT and a member of the IAEA, it is entitled to use nuclear technology for peaceful objectives.

In addition, the IAEA has conducted numerous inspections of Iran's nuclear energy facilities, but has never found any evidence showing that Iran's nuclear energy program has been diverted to nuclear weapons production.
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