TEHRAN, November 27, 5:36 /ITAR-TASS/. President Hassan Rouhani of the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI), in a national television live broadcast on Tuesday, summed up the results of the first 100 days of work of the new government in the economy and culture. The president also touched upon the nuclear programme and foreign policy of the Islamic Republic.
Rouhani highly evaluated the results of the summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) held in the capital of Kyrgyzstan in the first half of September.
"During the meeting in Bishkek, important steps were taken to strengthen relations with Russia and China. Our accords concerned the economy and investments in Iran, as well as politics and culture," the president pointed out.
The Kremlin press servive reported that on November 18 Russian President Vladimir Putin in a telephone conversation with IRI President Hassan Rouhani, had expressed an opinion that a real chance had emerged to find a solution to the years-long problem of the international community's monitoring of Iran's nuclear programme. Rouhani, for his part, gave a high appraisal of the work being done by Russia within the scope of the Sextet of international mediators. The two presidents also touched upon "topical matters that are on the bilateral agenda, specifically the implementation of the accords reached during the meeting of the leaders of Russia and Iran in Bishkek on September 13".
In his televised address on Tuesday, the IRI president touched upon the question of influence of the accords reached in Geneva on the economy of the Islamic Republic. Rouhani's estimat is that the country "managed to loosen the foundations of the sanctions" which, in the final analysis, will be lifted fully.
"Our position is by no means in denying the impact of the sanctions or in impelling other countries to apply new sanctions," says the text of the televised address place on the president's official website.
"The sanctions directed agains such basic requirements of the people as medicines, medical equipment, and prime necessities are inhuman and violate human rights," Rouhani pointed out. "We have already drmonstrated it and told countries which apply sanctions that the only way to resolve problems is through constructive talks".
In response to the programme hosts' quesions, Rouhani once again stated that Tehran "does not intend to abandon the uranium enrichment procees". "The rights of the people and the framework outlined by the supreme leader will be preserved. We enrich uraniaum today and we shall do so tomorrow. This is our red line," he added.
"Our goal is to prepare conditions in the international arena for a constructive cooperation with the entire world,' the IRI president went on to say, assuring the audience that Tehran "will carry on the talks until final agreement is reached".
On the night from Saturday to Sunday, Iran and the Sextet (five Permanent Members of the UN Security Council and Germany) in Geneva reached agreement and approved an action plan aimed at easing tension over the nuclear programme of Tehran. The document,fixed by the sides, is intended for six months and aims to work out an all-embracing solution tot he nuclear problem and envisages a reduction in Iran's nuclear programme in exchange for a considerable alleviation of the sanctions regime.