Iranian and Italian FMs Say:

Nuclear Talks at ‘Sensitive Point’

TEHRAN (Dispatches) -- Iran's top nuclear negotiator said Saturday that "scaremongering" by the occupying regime of Israel’s PM Benjamin Netanyahu won't stop the Islamic Republic and world powers from reaching a final nuclear deal.

Date: 28 February 2015 - 21:38

News ID: ۱۱۵۱۲

Foreign Minister Muhammad Javad Zarif said the world should not allow the hardline Zionist leader to undermine peace. He was referring to Netanyahu's planned speech at the U.S. Congress next week on the emerging nuclear deal.
"Through scaremongering, falsification, propaganda and creating a false atmosphere even inside other countries, (the Zionist regime) is attempting to prevent peace," Zarif told reporters during a joint news conference with his Italian counterpart, Paolo Gentiloni. "I believe that these attempts are in vain and should not impede reaching a (nuclear) agreement."
Netanyahu's planned address has further strained his relationship with the Obama administration, as America is a key ally to the occupying regime of Israel. Netanyahu's speech in the U.S. also comes ahead of March elections in Israel.
"Netanyahu is opposed to any solution and (his planned speech in U.S. Congress) signifies his attempts to use an untrue issue and a fabricated crisis to cover up realities in our region, including the occupation and suppression of the Palestinian people, violation of rights of Palestinians and continuation of invasive policies," Zarif said.
Iran and the U.S., Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany reached an interim accord in November 2013. Now, negotiators hope to reach a rough draft of a deal on Iran's nuclear program by the end of March and a final agreement by June 30.
"We have announced many times that as long as general issues are not agreed upon, there will not be any agreement,” Zarif said.
He emphasized that there would be no deal unless the sides reach an agreement on all issues.
The top Iranian nuclear negotiator said the sides certainly made "some serious progress" in Geneva, expressing hope the negotiating sides would also make progress next week on other issues, especially the lifting of sanctions.
"In that case, we will draw it up in the form of a comprehensive and accurate deal," said Iran's diplomacy chief.
Nuclear talks between representatives from Iran and the United States were held in Geneva, Switzerland, on February 22 and 23 and the two sides held three rounds of negotiations in two days in an attempt to narrow their differences ahead of a key July 1 deadline for reaching a comprehensive deal.
Political directors from Iran and the P5+1 group’s foreign ministries will hold a fresh round of talks about Tehran’s nuclear program in Montreux, Switzerland, on March 5, EU spokeswoman, Catherine Ray, said on Friday.
A series of bilateral meetings will also be held prior to the planned high-level talks between negotiators from Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany, she added.