Lebanese FM reiterates Iran's right to use peaceful nuclear technology

Lebanese Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour in a meeting with Iranian Ambassador to Beirut Qazanfar Roknabadi stressed Iran's right to use peaceful nuclear technology.During the meeting in Beirut on Thursday, Mansour said, "Lebanon supports Iran's right to develop and use nuclear technology for peaceful purposes."He noted that recent talks held between Iran and the six world powers (US, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany) can play an effective role in resolving the West's standoff with Tehran over its peaceful nuclear technology.Roknabadi, for his part, pointed to the recent Iran-G5+1 talks in Almaty, Kazakhstan, and said, "The Islamic Republic of Iran has always reiterated its right to make peaceful use of nuclear technology."On April 6, Iran and the six world powers wrapped up two days of intensive negotiations in Almaty.The Iranian team was led by Iran's Top Negotiator Saeed Jalili, who is also the Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), and the G5+1's representatives were presided by EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton.Analysts believe that the talks will continue after the upcoming presidential election in Iran since no substantial development or agreement can take place in the two months left to the voting.Earlier this month, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehman-Parast described the latest round of talks with the world powers in Kazakhstan as "positive", and said Tehran is waiting for the opposite side's response to its proposals."The two sides' comments described as positive the start of straightforward and serious expression of views, and to take a correct step, our officials expressed their views and the Group 5+1 should now respond," Mehman-Parast said at a weekly press conference in Tehran."We are (now) waiting for Mrs. Ashton's response and her consultations with the G5+1," he added.Iran had announced a day prior to the start of the talks that it would enter the negotiations with the G5+1 with clear, groundbreaking proposals.Iran has so far ruled out halting or limiting its nuclear work in exchange for trade and other incentives, saying that renouncing its rights under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) would encourage the world powers to put further pressure on the country and would not lead to a change in the West's hardline stance on Tehran.Iran is under four rounds of UN Security Council sanctions for turning down West's calls to give up its right of uranium enrichment. The United States and the European Union have ratcheted up their sanctions on Iran this year to force it to curb its nuclear program.Iranian officials have always shrugged off the sanctions, saying that pressures make them strong and reinvigorate their resolve to further move towards self-sufficiency.