Iranian MPs Caution Rouhani to Avoid Bad Deal

(FNA)- A number of Iranian lawmakers on Wednesday cautioned President Hassan Rouhani to avoid giving concessions to the opposite side in the ongoing talks with the six world powers.

Six Iranian MPs also urged President Rouhani to ensure that the country's negotiating team will not strike a bad deal with the Group 5+1 (the US, Russia, China, France and Britain plus Germany).

The lawmakers also called for the lifting of all sanctions imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council and the European Union as well as the US administration and Congress on the same day that a final agreement on Tehran’s nuclear case is struck.

On February 8, Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei underlined that Iran will never accept a bad agreement with the world powers, but the country is 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 are kept in place, their impact can 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.

Ayatollah Khamenei endorsed President Hassan Rouhani's recent remarks who had stated that negotiation means both opposing sides should try to come into agreement over a common point, and said, "On the same basis one side should not try to materialize whatever he/she expects through illogical behavior." 

The Leader 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.

Ayatollah Khamenei once again underlined his agreement with the continuation of the negotiations in pursuit of a good deal, and said, "Surely the Iranian nation will not disagree with any agreement that would respect them either."

He noted that Iranian nation's progress and respect should be protected in the negotiations because Iranians never accept the bullying of opposite sides, including the US.

Ayatollah Khamenei stressed that the general points and technical details of any accord need to be agreed upon simultaneously as the US has already proved that it tries to escape its undertakings under the pretext of different interpretations.

"The contents of such a contract should be transparent, clear and not open to interpretation. The contents of the agreement should not allow the other side which is used to bargaining to seek excuses on different issues," he added.

After nine days of hard work in Lausanne, Switzerland, Iran and the G5+1 reached an understanding on April 2 which laid the ground for them to start drafting the final nuclear deal over Tehran's nuclear energy program ahead of a July 1 deadline.

Reading out a joint statement at a press conference with EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini in Lausanne on April 2, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said according to the agreement, all the US, EU and UN Security Council sanctions against Iran would be lifted under the final deal.

Talks are underway among the delegations of the seven nations to draft the final deal.