According to Khabar Online's political correspondent, after unpredicted prolonged nuclear talks with the representatives of 5+1 group including the United States, Russia, the UK, China, France plus Germany, Jalili, the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council said both parties experienced a good atmosphere for conversation.
"They made some proposals and in return we made our own proposals. However, the positive point of the negotiation was that both parties expressed the issues directly and transparently to become more informed of the views of the other party," he stated.
Referring to the issue of uranium enrichment at a news conference, jalili said according to the convention of Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), uranium enrichment is one of the rights of NPT members.
“The right of uranium enrichment was underlined when the convention was revised in 2009. We in our turn, stressed on the peaceful use of atomic energy," the head of Iran's nuclear negotiating team stated.
Uranium Enrichment
Following the news conference, Jalili responded to a question about the remarks made by the EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton on negotiations for halting Iran's nuclear enrichment process.
"Uranium enrichment for peaceful purposes is our Inalienable right, but we are ready to negotiate and cooperate on the issue of Tehran's nuclear research reactor," the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council emphasized.
"One of the issues relevant to the level of uranium enrichment is peaceful use of nuclear energy. Two years ago, we needed uranium enriched to 20 percent for Tehran's nuclear research reactor,” he said.
“In a letter to the Secretary General of International Atomic Energy Agency [Yukiya Amano who was elected to the position in July 2009], we demanded nuclear fuel. According to the regulations of IAEA, the needs of its members should be met, but they refused to provide the fuel for our nation," he added.
Iran began enriching uranium to a fissile concentration of 20 percent in 2010, needing to fuel a medical research reactor. Tehran later expanded the work by launching enrichment at Fordow center.
"When we faced obstacles in resolving the problem which was simply related to our medical needs, we attempted to produce the nuclear fuel by our local experts and capacities. The fuel was finally produced due to the efforts of young Iranian scientists whose average age is close to the age of our Islamic Revolution. So we could enrich uranium up to 20 percent," the top Iranian nuclear negotiator added.
Lifting embargos
On lifting embargoes imposed on Iran, Jalili said: "What’s coming to an end at the moment is the process of putting Iranian nation under pressure and what can guarantee the success and progress of the nuclear talks is lifting sanctions on the Islamic Republic."
The West powers, above them the United States claim Iran's nuclear program is meant for producing atomic weapons, but the Islamic Republic has categorically rejected such allegation stressing that as a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), Iran has focused its nuclear activity on civilian purposes including medical research and electricity production.
Taking measures based on their allegation, the United States and the European Union imposed economic sanctions on Iran, above them putting an embargo on business with Iran's Central Bank (CBI) and threats of sanctioning oil imports of Iran [by the EU].
In another development, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Thursday that Washington will not ease sanctions on Iran before the Moscow meeting.
“As we lay the groundwork for these talks, we will keep up the pressure as part of our dual-track approach. All of our sanctions will remain in place and continue to move forward during this period,” she told reporters in Washington hours after talks between Iran and world powers concluded in Baghdad, Reuters reported.
Earlier Ms. Ashton had stated: “It is clear that we both want to make progress, and that there is some common ground. However, significant differences remain. Nonetheless, we do agree on the need for further discussion to expand that common ground.”
“Iran declared its readiness to address the issue of 20 percent enrichment and came with its own five-point plan, including their assertion that we recognize their right to enrichment,” Ashton added.
The next round of nuclear negotiations to be held in Moscow
Elsewhere in his remarks, the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council stated that talks on the axes and problems of nuclear issue in Baghdad meeting remained unfinished. He noted that the next round of negotiations is scheduled to be held on June 18 in 19 in Moscow.
Jalili asserted that while Tehran regards uranium enrichment based on the NPT regulations as an undeniable right, it's ready to "discuss and cooperate" on providing uranium enriched to 20 percent in upcoming Moscow meeting.
Reasons behind the prolongation of atomic negotiations
"Discussion on various ideas and subjects was the reason our nuclear talks with 5+1 group prolonged. Both parties raised their issues directly which proves the negotiations were so serious," the head of Iranian delegation in Baghdad said.
"5+1 group believes the negotiations should move ahead and we exactly have the same opinion. Even we are ready to follow the talks at the moment and declare our readiness for resuming them tomorrow. Discussions may be held both on nuclear and non-nuclear issues," Jalili added.
Responding to another question on guarantees for reserving Iranian nuclear rights, he said: "We believe as legal international institutions, both Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and International Atomic Energy Agency must enjoy more power. It would be possible on the condition that a balance is achieved between the responsibilities and rights of member countries in the two institutions."
"This way, as the members become more respectful of laws and more responsible for fulfilling their responsibilities, they must be given more rights. It can be a powerful base for the members to take the best advantage of their nuclear rights," the top Iranian nuclear negotiator said.
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