Final deal with G5+1 should guarantee Iran's inalienable nuclear rights

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif once again underlined that a final deal with the world powers must guarantee the Iranian nation's inalienable nuclear rights. His remarks were made as Iran and the G5+1 are due to kick off a new round of talks in Vienna on May 14. "Any final nuclear agreement with the Group 5+1 (the US, Russia, China, France and Britain plus Germany) must create an opportunity for Iran to exercise its inalienable right to use peaceful nuclear energy," Zarif said in a meeting with former Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Hans Blix in Tehran on Sunday. He underlined Iran's inalienable right to uranium enrichment, and said, "We believe that any nuclear agreement" must ensure the country's peaceful nuclear energy program. The Iranian foreign minister described “mutual mistrust” as the main obstacle that used to block the nuclear talks between Tehran and the G5+1. “Given the fact that the western states have failed to abide by their commitments towards Iran, the Islamic Republic of Iran has striven to meet its need to the nuclear energy through relying on its own capabilities,” Zarif said. Blix, for his part, welcomed the interim Geneva agreement between the Islamic Republic and the six world powers (the US, Russia, China, France and Britain plus Germany). Blix, who currently heads Sweden’s Weapons of Mass Destruction Commission, also expressed hope that the ongoing discussions between Iran and the G5+1 would lead to a final accord on Tehran's nuclear energy program and that both sides would honor their obligations under the possible deal. Deputy chief negotiators from Iran and the sextet wrapped up their last round of talks in Vienna on April 9. The talks were headed by Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araqchi and EU foreign policy deputy chief Helga Schmidt. The talks started on April 8 by a session presided by EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif at the UN headquarters in Vienna, and continued by a meeting among the deputy chief negotiators of the seven nations. The Iranian Foreign Ministry in a statement on April 8 reiterated that its team of negotiators would not discuss any topic but the country's nuclear standoff with the West in its talks with the six world powers. The talks between Tehran and the G5+1 are part of efforts to seal a final deal on Iran’s nuclear energy program. Iran and the Group 5+1 representatives had several sessions of talks in Vienna on March 18-19 too. Following the breakthrough interim agreement between Iran and the six powers, the two sides accepted to send their senior negotiating teams to monthly meetings to discuss a final and comprehensive deal until July. If the seven nations fail to agree on a final deal by then, the Geneva interim agreement will be extended for another 6 months. On November 24, Iran and the Group 5+1 sealed a six-month Joint Plan of Action to lay the groundwork for the full resolution of the West’s decade-old dispute with Iran over the latter's nuclear energy program. In exchange for Tehran’s confidence-building bid to limit certain aspects of its nuclear activities, the sextet of the world powers agreed to lift some of the existing sanctions against Tehran and impose no nuclear-related sanctions on Iran during the six-month period.