Nuclear rights are non-negotiable: Ahmadinejad

Tehran Times Political Desk ARAK - President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has once again emphasized that Iran will not negotiate with the major powers over its nuclear rights. “Our nuclear rights, including the continuation of uranium enrichment, the production of 20 percent enriched uranium, and the construction of nuclear power plants, are not negotiable,” Ahmadinejad said on Wednesday in a meeting with a number of university students in Arak, the capital of Markazi Province. It is clear that basic rights like nuclear rights are not negotiable because “this is analogous to our country’s independence, and no country negotiates on its independence with other countries,” he stated. “Apparently, they (the 5+1 group) have said that they want to cooperate,” he said, adding, “Cooperation in areas like a nuclear fuel swap and global economic, political, and security issues is possible.” Iran and the 5+1 group (the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France, and Germany) wrapped up their two-day talks in Geneva on Tuesday. According to Supreme National Security Council Secretary Saeed Jalili, who represented Iran at the talks, the 5+1 group agreed that the next round of talks, which will be held in Istanbul in late January, will focus on “common ground for cooperation.” The next round of negotiations will focus on finding “common ground for cooperation,” but Iran will not negotiate on its inalienable rights, including uranium enrichment, Jalili said after the end of the talks. Ahmadinejad stated that the best approach for cooperation would be to lift the international sanctions on Iran and emphasized that the imposition of sanctions cannot force Iran to give in to the major powers’ demands. “You should rescind the sanctions because that would be the best approach for cooperation,” he said. Pressuring the Iranian nation and adopting resolutions against Iran cannot compel the Iranian nation to surrender, he added.