Zarif: Sanctions more part of problem than solution

Mohammad Javad Zarif told reporters after arriving at airport in Muscat that the most important part of the problem still unsolved was that western countries had not admitted that sanctions are part of the problem rather than of the solution which “had not contributed to solve the problem.”

“A second issue is amount of uranium enrichment. The Islamic Republic of Iran has always had a peaceful nuclear program and in line with the religious decree issued by the Leader banning use and stockpiling of weapons of mass destruction, WMD has no place in our defense doctrine,” Zarif emphasized.

Zarif believed that a solution was still possible to achieve in nuclear issue. “If western countries are ensured that our nuclear program seeks peaceful ends and if they abandon political adventurism, this is a propitious time to hammer out a deal,” he said.

Asked how Iran would go on with activities in Natanz, Fordow and Arak in terms of technicalities, Zarif told reporters that technically speaking, “there are some strong solutions, and what prevented an agreement were political reservations by the 5+1 negotiators; we still hope to reach a solution with all these technicalities.”

Zarif is in Oman to continue next round of nuclear negotiations with Catherine Ashton, EU special representative to the negotiations and his US counterpart John Kerry. Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah, Oman’s Foreign Minister welcomed Zarif at the airport. According to negotiations timetable, the trilateral negotiations will kick off Sunday at 11 AM local time.

US Secretary of State will arrive in Muscat from China where he is visiting the East Asian country.

There were speculations on the Iranian media that Ali Akbar Velayati, Advisor to the Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran would also attend the negotiations, which later was denied by the authorities.

Iran’s team of negotiations includes Seyed Abbas Araghchi, Majid Takht Ravanchi, Hamid Baidinejad, Marzieh Afkham, Seyed Mohammad Ali Hosseini, Pejman Rahimian, Mohammad Amiri and Davoud Mohammadnia.

SH/HRGH
MNA
END