Brussels, 24/10/2011 (Agence Europe) - Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi was critical on Monday 24 October of European Council threats the previous day of new sanctions against Iran if it fails to cooperate seriously on its nuclear programme. “The negative propaganda over the last few years around the Iranian nuclear programme has affected relations between Iran and the EU”, he is reported by the IRNA agency as stating. “Instead of presenting a false and misleading image of the Iranian nuclear programme, the EU would be better to give some thought to the danger presented by the atomic bombs stockpiled in Europe”, he added. He stated that the Iranian nuclear programme was entirely civilian in purpose and that his country “considers the production and use of nuclear weapons as haram (banned by religion)”.
In addition, Speaker of the Iranian Parliament Ali Larijani said that Iran was ready to resume negotiations on its nuclear programme with the E3+3 (France, Germany, United Kingdom, China, Russia and United States). “We have always said that we were available for real negotiations but we have no time to talk for talking's sake”, he said.
In a letter sent to Iran at the end of last week in reply to a letter from Tehran, EU High Representative, speaking on behalf of the E3+3 called on Iran to show its willingness to respond to concerns over the nature of its nuclear programme. She proposed a resumption of the nuclear talks “without preconditions”, in order to reach “a comprehensive negotiated, long-term solution” of the issue with the E3+3 - as European leaders did at the summit. The E3+3 countries want Iran to apply the resolutions passed by the UN Security Council and the International Atomic Energy Agency. Ashton's letter speaks of possible agreement on a meeting “within the coming weeks”.
However, sources quoted by AFP suggest that an early return to the negotiating table should not be expected. The Iranians “have not seriously addressed the concerns of the international community” and recent Iranian activity has not been helpful, according to a European diplomat. (CG/transl.rt)