Nuclear Infrastructures Non-Negotiable: Iranian Foreign Minister

Araqchi on Friday attended a meeting with a delegation of the Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs, held in Tehran and hosted by the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran.

The foreign minister emphasized Iran's logical stance on the necessity of benefiting from its legal rights under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), the Foreign Ministry’s website reported.

Referring to four rounds of indirect negotiations with the US, Araqchi stated, “The Islamic Republic of Iran, as a country with a long-standing membership in the NPT and as the initiator of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in West Asia, decided to enter indirect negotiations with the US with seriousness and goodwill, and has transparently demonstrated its firm and serious approach.”

“The Islamic Republic of Iran is fully prepared to build confidence regarding the continuation of peaceful nature of its nuclear program, but it cannot compromise on the Iranian nation's legitimate and legal right to peaceful nuclear energy, including enrichment, which is granted to all member states under the NPT,” he added.

Araqchi pointed to the heavy material and human costs the Iranian nation has borne to safeguard its right to peaceful nuclear energy, adding, “Over the past three decades, the Iranian nation has paid a high price to preserve its independence and achieve nuclear technology and enrichment.”

“In addition to enduring illegal and unjust sanctions, it has sacrificed its best and brightest. Therefore, Iranians will not accept being deprived of a peaceful nuclear industry as a committed member of the NPT; a treaty that prohibits the production and use of nuclear weapons,” he stated.

Araqchi honored the memory of Iran’s martyred nuclear scientists and reiterated that Iran is determined to advance its peaceful nuclear knowledge and technology while remaining open to dialogue and cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and other parties to build trust regarding the peaceful nature of its nuclear activities.

The foreign minister also criticized the contradictory statements from US officials, saying such inconsistencies complicate negotiations and increase doubts about America’s seriousness and readiness to fulfill the requirements of a diplomatic process.

He stressed that Iran will remain focused on advancing its principled and legal positions within the framework of its international rights and obligations, regardless of media uproar.

In another part of his remarks, Araqchi described the US's constantly shifting positions and the multiplicity of its spokespersons as obstacles to successful negotiations.

He pointed to the formation of a coalition of saboteurs led by the Zionist regime to influence American policymakers and negotiators, saying, "It has become clear that pro-war and anti-diplomacy circles inside the US are coordinating efforts to negatively influence the negotiation process. But this is an internal matter for the US government. It is entirely unacceptable for American decision-makers to repeatedly succumb to pressure from war-mongering lobbies that follow Netanyahu’s dangerous ambitions, and in doing so, set new negotiation frameworks, wasting time and prolonging the negotiation process."

The Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs is an international non-governmental organization with a history of nearly 70 years, established to contribute to humanity through the promotion of science, including peaceful uses of nuclear energy.