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Iran's nuclear program

Iran talks to confirm the peaceful nature of nuclear program only

The talks must be limited to matters the clarification of which is essential for confirming the peaceful nature of the nuclear research being conducted by Tehran

An exterior view of the Palais Coburg where talks between Iran and Britain, China, France, Russia, the United States and Germany continue, in Vienna, Austria EPA/HANS PUNZ

An exterior view of the Palais Coburg where talks between Iran and Britain, China, France, Russia, the United States and Germany continue, in Vienna, Austria

© EPA/HANS PUNZ

VIENNA, February 20. /ITAR-TASS/. Subjects for discussion at the talks between the Sextet (five Permanent Members of the UN Security Council and Germany) and Iran must be limited to matters the clarification of which is essential for confirming the peaceful nature of the nuclear research being conducted by Tehran, Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told Itar-Tass in response to a question whether the sides discuss Iran's rocket program during the consultations.

The diplomat emphasized that "matters relating to Iran's rocket program are utterly complex inherently". "We remember the difficulty and tenseness of work on the elaboration of the (UNSC) Resolution 1,929 which contains a mention of Iran's rocket program," Ryabkkov remarked.

"The Russian side considers that a comprehensive agreement must concern only and exclusively the matters regarding the restoration of trust in a purely peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear program, which signifies preoccupation with nuclear affairs and nuclear aspects of all these things," he said.

Earlier, American diplomats insisted on putting the item on the agenda of the consultations but Iranian authorities categorically refused to consider it, alluding to the fact that the Geneva accords do not envisage a discussion of this theme.

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