Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh dismissed the US officials' claims that Tehran's hands are tied up in nuclear negotiations as a "joke".

"The US officials' remarks on this issue are a joke and bragging," Namdar Zanganeh told reporters on the sidelines of massive rallies marking the 36th anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Revolution in Tehran on Wednesday.

Elsewhere, he referred to the massive participation of the Iranian people in the February 11 rallies, and called it as a strong backup for the Islamic Republic and the Islamic Revolution's causes.

In relevant remarks today, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif warned that nuclear talks with the Group 5+1 (the US, Russia, China, Britain and France plus Germany) would prove fruitless if the opposite parties to the negotiations were not resolved to settle the differences.

"Reaching an agreement requires the political will of the other side and if such a resolve is shown, we can reach an agreement now, but if the other side does not show to have this resolve, we will not obtain results even if the negotiations continue for 10 years," Zarif told reporters on the sidelines of February rallies.

Asked about the Sunday remarks of Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei on Iran's policy in the nuclear talks, he said, "The ideas, viewpoints, guidelines and redlines specified by the Supreme Leader have always been the source of guidance and presented the path that we have taken (during the negotiations) and helped us during this period."

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.
 

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