Presidential hopeful urges Iran's insistence on nuclear stance

Supreme Leader's Advisor for International Affairs and presidential hopeful Ali Akbar Velayati stressed that Iran would continue defending its rights and resisting against the expansionist policies of the western states if he is elected as the country's next president.Velayati has not made an official announcement about his candidacy in the upcoming president election in June, but has formed a coalition with former Parliament Speaker Gholam-Ali Haddad Adel and Tehran Mayor Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf - known as the "2+1 Coalition" - to take part in the election. It is widely believed that the coalition would introduce only one single candidate in the election and Velayati is said to have a high chance."On the nuclear issue, we will win if we continue resistance in defending our rights," Velayati said in an interview with the Persian-language 'Mosalas' magazine on Saturday.Asked when he thinks Iran's nuclear issue with the West would be resolved, Velayati said, "It is hard to say when, but I think it won't last too long."To win the game, Velayati underlined, Iran should prove its power and might to the world powers.Last week, Iran and the six world powers (the five permanent UN Security Council members plus Germany) wrapped up their 4th round of talks after 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 continuation of talks depends on the upcoming presidential election in Iran and before June voting nothing substantial will take place under the present conditions.Earlier this week, 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 (the five permanent UN Security Council members plus Germany) 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.