Alaeddin Boroujerdi and Heshmatollah Falahatpisheh on What Iran Wants from Russia

 

Russia Should Pressure U.S. to Lift Anti-Iran Sanctions: MP

Russia should pressure the United States to lift the sanctions imposed on Iran, Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Committee Chairman Alaeddin Boroujerdi said on Friday.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran has so far taken important steps in order to create transparency concerning its peaceful nuclear activities, and the Russians, based on the step-by-step proposal, should pressure the U.S. into lifting the sanctions imposed on Iran,” Boroujerdi told the Mehr News Agency.

On July 13, Russia made a proposal for a “step-by-step” approach, according to which Iran could address questions about its nuclear program and be rewarded with a gradual easing of sanctions.

He went on to say that the negotiations with Russia, which is a permanent member of the UN Security Council, are very important, adding that the secretary of Russia’s Security Council was invited to Tehran to hold talks with Saeed Jalili, the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council.

Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev arrived in Tehran on Monday to discuss the “step-by-step” approach with Iranian officials and left on Wednesday.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Boroujerdi pointed to Iran’s package of proposals, which it delivered to the 5+1 group (the U.S., Britain, France, China, Russia, and Germany), saying it was mentioned in the package that Iran should have the right to acquire and develop nuclear technology meant for peaceful purposes.

The modality plan, signed by Tehran and the UN nuclear watchdog in 2007, was meant to clear up ambiguities cited by the International Atomic Energy Agency, and Iran later provided official responses, he said.

The MP also noted that the U.S. does not want Iran’s nuclear dossier to be closed because it is using the situation as a tool to pressure Iran to stop its nuclear activities.

‘Tehran Should See If Moscow Will Use Veto Right in Iran’s Favor’

MP Heshmatollah Falahatpisheh says Iran should negotiate with Russia over whether or not Moscow will use its right of veto when it agrees with Tehran on a certain point.

Falahatpisheh, who is the Majlis Foreign Policy Committee chairman, made the remarks during an interview with the Mehr News Agency published on Saturday, in reference to Russia’s recent decision to pave the way for the resumption of talks between Iran and the 5+1 group (the U.S., Britain, France, China, Russia, and Germany).

On July 13, Russia made a proposal for a step-by-step approach, according to which Iran could address questions about its nuclear program and be rewarded with a gradual easing of sanctions.

Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi made a two-day visit to Moscow on August 16 and 17 and discussed the step-by-step plan with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Salehi, and a number of other Iranian officials have welcomed the proposal but have said that the details of the initiative should be studied.

In addition, Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev arrived in Tehran on August 15 to discuss the step-by-step approach with Iranian officials and left on August 16.

During the interview, Falahatpisheh said, “I think Russia has taken the initiative as a player which wants to simply revive the talks but has been given no mandate by the 5+1 group to determine the content of negotiations.”

“We can revive the talks in cooperation with the Russians, but it would be a mistake to be hopeful that the Russians would not side with Western countries,” he stated.

The fact that the preliminary negotiations on Russia’s proposal have taken so long is that Iran wants Russia to clarify its stance, Falahatpisheh stated.

He added, “We should negotiate with the Russians on the right of veto to see if they are ready to use their right of veto in the event they agree with us but the 5+1 group does not accept such an agreement.”

“If we agree with the Russians on this point, we can be optimist (about negotiations),” the MP said.

“I think if the Russians had treated Iran better and more fairly,” Iran’s nuclear dossier would not have reached this point, he opined.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Falahatpisheh said Russia should fully implement the agreements it has signed with Iran, adding Moscow broke the contract for delivery of the S-300 missile system to Iran and should build confidence.


The articles above were first published by the Mehr News Agency on 19 and 20 August 2011; they are reproduced here for non-profit educational purposes.  Cf. “Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov Makes Remarks and Answers Questions at Joint Press Conference Following Talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi, Moscow, August 17, 2011.”




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