Zarif: Years of N. Talks Useless without West’s Political Will

(FNA)- Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif warned that nuclear talks with the Group 5+1 (the US, Russia, China, Britain and France plus Germany) will prove fruitless if the opposite parties to the negotiations are 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 massive rallies held to mark the 36th anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Revolution in Tehran on Wednesday.

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."

In relevant remarks on Tuesday, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said the world powers needed to show that they were resolved to strike a final deal with Iran if they really intend to end the nuclear standoff.

Addressing a meeting with the foreign diplomatic corps in Tehran, President Rouhani underlined Iran's policy of constructive interaction with the world countries, and said, "It is in light of the same policy that we have opted for constructive talks and the political settlement of this case by the two sides."

The Iranian president pointed said Iran had been seeking a win-win solution to its nuclear standoff with the West, and added, "We have shown the needed flexibility for the political settlement of this case in the past months and we hope that our negotiating parties show the needed will for settling the issues more than before, and if this happens, the differences over a set of issues will be resolved in a short time."

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.