6-9 Months Enough to Find Solution on Iran Nuclear Program – Lavrov RIA Novosti, PUBLISHED 09.10.2013 Russia is convinced that six to nine months is enough time to find a mutually acceptable solution concerning Iran’s controversial nuclear program, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Tuesday. “Both President [Hassan] Rouhani and [Foreign] Minister [Mohammad] Zarif said that they would like to resolve this issue and resolve it fast. They were saying six to nine months would be enough if everyone cooperates. I agree,” Lavrov said in an English-language interview with Russia Today television. Western powers suspect Iran of using its nuclear program to develop atomic weapons, a claim that Iran has consistently denied. Tehran insists it needs atomic technology for producing electricity, although it has some of the world’s largest reserves of oil and gas. “As for the statements regarding Iranians playing another game and trying to dupe people, I haven't seen any confirmation by any intelligence – be it Russian, be it European, be it the United States, be it Mossad – that would categorically say that Iranian leadership has taken a political decision to have a military nuclear program,” Russia’s top diplomat said. “No intelligence agency on earth has been able so far to make this conclusion. And we spoke to our American colleagues just recently. They agreed that Iran hasn’t taken a political decision to go military in its nuclear program,” Lavrov continued. The next round of talks between Iran and the six nations trying to find an international resolution to the Islamic Republic’s controversial nuclear program – Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States – will be held in Geneva on October 15 and 16. Lavrov said that as talks on Iran’s nuclear program progress, the international community “must arrive to a point where everyone would be satisfied that the Iranian nuclear program is entirely peaceful.” “And then Iran should be out of any sanctions – both the sanctions imposed by the Security Council and also unilateral sanctions,” he said. Currently, Iran is under four sets of economic sanctions according to UN resolutions, as well as a number of sanctions imposed unilaterally by some Western countries. Other news: The celebration ceremony of the first concrete installation took place at Tianvan NPP unit 4 The Chinese party was represented by officers from CNNC and JNPS. Russia Gives Iran Control of Bushehr Nuclear Plant Construction of the power plant began in the 1970s but was plagued by delays. Rosatom to Be Key Contractor in Finnish NPP Project – Putin Aide Finland currently operates four nuclear reactors in two power plants, all located on the shores of the Baltic Sea. |
Hero of the day Jacques Repussard: knowledge, independence, proximity They told me: "Mr Repussard, we're not used to responding to anti-nuclear organisations". To which I replied: "We will not reveal any state or trade secrets, but we will not leave them without any answer". INTERVIEW
Georgy Toshinsky OPINION
Alexander Yakovenko |