Iran to brief lawmakers on Geneva talks

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif is due to take part in a parliamentary meeting in Tehran this week to brief the MPs about the trend of talks between Tehran and the six world powers, which led to a historical deal in the early hours of Sunday. “Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif will brief the MPs on the Geneva III negotiations in an open session of the parliament tomorrow morning,” Deputy Foreign Minister Hassan Qashqavi told FNA in Tehran on Tuesday. On Sunday, Iran and the Group 5+1 (the US, Russia, China, Britain and France plus Germany) reached a final deal after days of hard work and intensive negotiations. After endorsing the agreement with the world powers, Zarif underlined that the six world powers have recognized Iran’s enrichment program. Speaking at a press conference in Geneva on Sunday morning, the Iranian foreign minister pointed to the agreement reached between Iran and the G5+1, and said, “Today’s agreement deals with several sectors, the most important of which is that Iran’s enrichment program has been recognized, and this program will continue.” Zarif underlined that the Iranian nation wants the opposite side to show respect for its rights, and said, “We need to remove the historical lack of confidence and the West should also be able to win the Iranian nation’s confidence.” He called on the West to discard its catch-phrase “the military option is on the table”, and said, “The right to own nuclear energy is among the rights of all countries and the international rules approve of this right. Governments cannot threaten other countries only on the basis of their own decisions." "Iran is entitled to make use of its rights, and other countries should not threaten it because of its pursuit of its rights.” Zarif reiterated that other countries should avoid threatening Iran only because is demanding its rights, and said, “We respect our rights and the non-proliferation treaty (NPT) members should know that they should not exert pressure on Iran and this agreement that has just been signed mentions that Iran is fully entitled to the right of enrichment and it will never quit its rights in the future.”