Iran to Leave Talks in case of Powers’ Bullying Approach

(FNA)- Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araqchi cautioned that Tehran will leave the negotiating table with the world powers if the other side adopts a bullying approach in the negotiations.

"We will continue the negotiations as long as there is a language of respect…, but we will surely leave the table if this (bullying) approach is extended to the negotiating table," Araqchi, also a senior negotiator in talks with the world powers, said on Monday.

Araqchi's remarks came after US Secretary of State John Kerry said that Washington would leave the talks, if Tehran did not take a "productive" decision to prove the "peaceful" nature of its nuclear program.

"Kerry's statements about the nuclear talks were repetition of (US President Barack) Obama's last week statements and these remarks have always been repeated and we believe that they do not influence the negotiations," the Iranian deputy foreign minister added.

He reiterated that the Iran-Group 5+1 talks (the US, Russia, China, France and Britain plus Germany) should be based on the two sides' interests and proceed with a win-win solution, and said, "Both the US and other G5+1 members have experienced that political and media pressures will never make the Islamic Republic of Iran change its methods, demands and stances in the negotiations."

Araqchi reiterated that Iran will continue negotiations with the G5+1 as long as there is mutual respect, but it will otherwise leave the negotiating table.

He pointed to the third day of negotiations in Geneva on Sunday, and said, "Summing up the discussions, we cannot claim that progress has been made in the talks, we still have differences, but the negotiating sides are seriously and resolutely following up the negotiations to reach a solution although they have not achieved comprehensive solutions over key issues."

On Saturday, Kerry said that US President Barack Obama “is fully prepared to stop these talks if he feels that they’re not being met with the kind of productive decision-making necessary to prove that a program is in fact peaceful”.

His remarks came after Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif underlined the country's determination to clinch a fair deal with the six major world powers, but meantime, said Tehran would not accept the West's excessive demands in the nuclear talks.

Speaking in the Swiss city of Geneva on Saturday, Zarif said Tehran would not approve of an "incomplete and vague" nuclear accord, but rather a "complete agreement".

“No other deal will be made before a complete agreement is clinched," said the top Iranian diplomat.

Zarif also referred to the discussions made by the Iranian and American deputy foreign ministers in Geneva on Friday, and said, “The deputies had good discussions, but no particular agreement has been made on the issues (at hand).”

Earlier this month, Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei underlined that Iran would never accept a bad agreement with the world powers, but the country was in favor of a single-phase comprehensive deal which would respect the Iranian nation's inalienable rights and entail all details.

"I agree with an agreement if it can be struck, but I disagree with a bad agreement," the Supreme Leader said in a meeting with the commanders and personnel of the Iranian Air Force and Air Defense in Tehran.

He pointed to the US officials' remarks that "disagreement is better than a bad agreement", and said, "We believe the same and we believe that not agreement is better than striking an agreement that would harm the national interests and pave the way for humiliating the great Iranian nation."

Ayatollah Khamenei referred to the efforts underway by the Iranians to remove the sanctions in their talks with the six world powers, and said, "If this happens and the enemy gives up the weapon of sanctions it will be very good, but if this doesn't happen there are (still) many ways to slow down the impact of the US-led embargoes."

The Supreme Leader reiterated that even if the sanctions were kept in place, their impact could be alleviated through paying appropriate attention to available means and industrious efforts.

The Leader further stressed his opposition to striking a deal over general issues and leaving the details for some other time in future, saying that a final agreement should include all the general principles and all the details together and should not leave anything for future.

Also on Wednesday, Ayatollah Khamenei warned of the arrogant powers' plots to impede Iran's progress in different scientific and technological fields, and said even if Tehran accepted all the demands of the world powers in the nuclear standoff, they would never remove their embargos against the country.

"Their main goal of such measures (sanctions) is humiliation of the Iranian nation and stopping the nation and Islamic Republic's great move towards a new Islamic civilization and I believe that even if we accept the demands that they (want to) dictate on us in the nuclear issue, the sanctions will not be removed since they are opposed to the (Islamic) Revolution in essence," Ayatollah said in Tehran, addressing a large number of visiting Iranians from East Azerbaijan province.

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.

The last round of the nuclear talks between Iran and the six world powers was held in February.

Both Iran and the G5+1 negotiators have underlined that cutting a final deal before the July 10 deadline is possible.