TEHRAN: Iran is committed to securing a nuclear agreement with world powers but will not sign one at any price; its negotiators said on Monday, as the key deadline for Tehran nears.
Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany, also known as P5+1, signed an interim deal last November and are in discussions to secure a more permanent accord.
The target date for a final deal has been put back to November 24.
We are entering with goodwill into further negotiations with the P5+1 group and we want to reach an agreement but we are not willing to pay any price, ISNA news agency quoted Majid Takht-Ravanchi, one of Irans main negotiators, as saying.
If the other side also shows goodwill we can reach an agreement by November 24, he added.
By August 25 Tehran must also respond to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on decade-old allegations of past nuclear weapons research.
Tehran denies that it wants nuclear weapons, insisting it is pursuing atomic energy purely for peaceful purposes.
By next Monday Tehran is to address claims made by the IAEA of the alleged use of what the Vienna-based watchdog calls large-scale high explosives experimentation.
Last years key deal partially froze Irans nuclear activities in return for minor sanctions relief but the gap between the two sides remains large.
While some differences have been reconciled there are disagreements over how much uranium Iran would be allowed to enrich and on the lifting of international economic sanctions.
A new round of talks between the two sides, which is expected before the UN General Assembly starts on September 16.
Follow this link to join our WhatsApp group: Join Now
Be Part of Quality Journalism |
Quality journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce and despite all the hardships we still do it. Our reporters and editors are working overtime in Kashmir and beyond to cover what you care about, break big stories, and expose injustices that can change lives. Today more people are reading Kashmir Observer than ever, but only a handful are paying while advertising revenues are falling fast. |
| ACT NOW |
| MONTHLY | Rs 100 |  |
| YEARLY | Rs 1000 | |
| LIFETIME | Rs 10000 | |
