Iran says EU nuclear proposals still unacceptable

Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi on Saturday criticized some parts of the proposals presented by the European Union (EU) during recent nuclear negotiations, terming them as "unacceptable" and "running counter to the Paris agreement."

"We still find proposals contrary to the Paris agreement, which are unacceptable," Kharazi told reporters, adding it was still possible for the EU to change some parts of their proposals according to the Paris agreement.

Iran and the European trio of France, Germany and Britain reached an agreement in early November in Paris on the Iranian nuclear issue after long and complicated talks. According to the agreement, Iran suspended uranium enrichment activities on Monday.

The European trio on Monday presented a draft resolution on the Iranian nuclear issue to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

The draft has been rebuked by Iran, who, with the support from some Non-Aligned Movement members, has been engaged to a fresh round of negotiations to persuade the EU to modify it. The IAEA Board of Governors is holding a meeting in Vienna to discuss Iran's nuclear issue.

Hossein Mousavian, spokesman of the Iranian delegation to the board, said Friday that Iran and the EU had settled their major problems by stressing on full implementation of the recent Paris agreement.

The United States has accused Iran of developing nuclear weapons secretly, but Tehran has denied and said its nuclear plan was completely peaceful.

Iran's latest request on centrifuges not against commitment: FM

Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi said here on Saturday that Iran's latest demand of 20 centrifuges being exempt from the suspension did not violate the country's commitment to its nuclear program.

"Iran has sent a letter to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), requesting that 20 centrifuges be exempted from its commitment to suspend uranium enrichment," Kharazi told reporters, stressing these centrifuges were for research purposes and under supervision.

However, the foreign minister said negotiations between Iran and the European Union (EU) during the past two days in Vienna had not touched the question of the 20 centrifuges.

Kharazi further rejected a report saying Iran had sent a letter to IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei to withdraw this request, terming it as "baseless and untrue".

He criticized some proposals in the draft resolution presented by the EU during the recent nuclear negotiations, describing them as "unacceptable" and "running counter to the Paris agreement."

"Although amendments have been made to the draft resolution, there were still some parts which Iran is not able to accept because they contradict the Paris agreement," Kharazi said. "The draft resolution prepared by the EU fails to facilitate confidence building," he said.

Iran and the European trio of France, Germany and Britain reached an agreement in early November in Paris on the Iranian nuclear issue after long and complicated talks.

According to the agreement, Iran suspended uranium enrichment activities on Monday.

The European trio on Monday presented a draft resolution on the Iranian nuclear issue to the IAEA.

The draft has been criticized by Iran, who, with the support from some Non-Aligned Movement members, has been engaged to a fresh round of negotiations to persuade the EU to modify it. The IAEA Board of Governors is holding a meeting in Vienna to discuss Iran's nuclear issue.

The United States has accused Iran of developing nuclear weapons secretly, but Tehran has denied and said its nuclear plan was completely peaceful.

Source: Xinhua