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Peaceful enrichment of uranium is Iran’s unalienable right - Jalili

The two previous rounds of the Sextet-Iran negotiations were held in Istanbul and on April 14 and in Baghdad on May 23-24

Photo EPA/ITAR-TASS

Photo EPA/ITAR-TASS

MOSCOW, June 19 (Itar-Tass) —— Peaceful enrichment of uranium is an unalienable right of Iran, Iranian Supreme National Security Council Chairman Saeed Jalili told reporters upon the end of the Moscow round of the negotiations with the Sextet (five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany).

The two previous rounds of the Sextet-Iran negotiations were held in Istanbul and on April 14 and in Baghdad on May 23-24.

“We stressed that peaceful enrichment of uranium is an unalienable right of Iran. We insist on peaceful use of atomic technologies. They are the key elements of our proposals,” Jalili said.

“We used the occasion to prove with documents that actions taken as regards Iran were not lawful. We also explained why we regarded illegal the UN Security Council resolution,” the Iranian high-ranking official said.

He said the Moscow round was more realistic and serious. He welcomed the Sextet’s acceptance of the position of Tehran, although with a one-month delay.

Jalili said that the Sextet had a choice; it could find a way out of the impasse and continue to advance. He also said he pinned such hopes on the upcoming consultations of experts.

The next meeting on the Iranian nuclear problem will take place in Istanbul on July 3, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton said after the Moscow round.

She said that would be a meeting of experts to discuss details of the Iranian response to the proposals of the Sextet.

She also said they had received the first Iranian answer with regard to the essence of its claims. The Sextet understood how to make further progress, she said.

Ashton added that the Sextet continued to insist that Iran must stop 20% uranium enrichment and export the accumulated stock.

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