Parliament Likely to Offer Observer in Nuclear Talks
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran's foreign ministry said it is ready to study a proposal by lawmakers to send an observer member to nuclear talks with the six world powers.
The issue was raised by a member of the parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, but it is still a suggestion, Deputy Foreign Minister for Parliamentary and Iranian Expatriates Affairs Hassan Qashqavi told Tasnim News Agency on Tuesday.
“The foreign ministry has still not received a written request in this regard... but due to the sensitivities of the nuclear issue, this suggestion needs to be studied further,” Qashqavi added.
On Monday, Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad javad Zarif, who is also the country's chief nuclear negotiator, had a meeting with EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton on the sidelines of the UN general Assembly, which Ashton described as "good and constructive."
Zarif will this week meet foreign ministers from the five permanent UN Security Council members - Britain, China, France, Russia and the US - and also Germany (the Group 5+1 ) on Thursday.
Ashton said that her team would hold talks with Zarif again in October in Geneva to evaluate the progress.
The US, Israel, and some of their allies have repeatedly accused Iran of pursuing non-civilian objectives in its nuclear energy program. Iran has categorically rejected the allegations, saying that its nuclear activities are entirely peaceful and in line with the Non-Proliferation Treaty, to which it is a signatory.
Meanwhile, numerous inspections of Iran's nuclear facilities by the International Atomic Energy Agency have never found any evidence showing that the Iranian nuclear energy program has been diverted toward non-civilian purposes.
