Iran warns it will quit nuclear talks with EU if no progress made

AFP: Iran’s top nuclear negotiator Hassan Rowhani warned Sunday that the Islamic republic would abandon key talks with the European Union on its nuclear programme if it was clear no progress was being made. The talks, set to begin in Brussels on Monday, are aimed at building on Iran’s agreement to suspend sensitive uranium enrichment … AFP

TEHRAN – Iran’s top nuclear negotiator Hassan Rowhani warned Sunday that the Islamic republic would abandon key talks with the European Union on its nuclear programme if it was clear no progress was being made.

The talks, set to begin in Brussels on Monday, are aimed at building on Iran’s agreement to suspend sensitive uranium enrichment activities that have sparked fears the clerical regime is seeking to acquire nuclear weapons.

The two sides will be hammering out a long-term accord that includes “objective guarantees” Iran will not develop the bomb and a package of trade, technology and security incentives.

“We will continue the negotiations for as long as they are progressing,” Rowhani told the official news agency IRNA before leaving for the Brussels talks.

“If at any point that our negotiations are not progressing, we will stop them. The end of these three months of negotiations will indicate to us which point we have reached,” added the cleric, who heads Iran’s Supreme National Security Council.

Iran has pledged to maintain its nuclear fuel cycle freeze for the duration of the negotiations.

On Monday, Rowhani is to meet the British, French and German foreign ministers in a steering committee conference on the sidelines of an EU ministerial gathering.