Iranian Officials Do Not Expect Much From Larijani-Solana Talks

Text of report by political desk entitled: Reactions to new round of Larijani-Solana talks, by Iranian newspaper Aftab-e Yazd website on 22 April

Political desk: The formal announcement about the holding of another round of talks in the near future between the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council and European Union’s official in charge of foreign and security affairs has given rise to various comments. Alongside the remarks by officials in different countries of the world, various political parties, experts and political figures inside the country have also expressed their views about the new round of talks.

Although normally after each meeting between [Ali] Larijani and [Javier] Solana, both sides describe the talks as ‘useful and satisfactory’, after the last round of talks that were held at the beginning of last autumn neither side mentioned anything about the contents of those talks. There was even no reference to what had been discussed in those talks. However, some time after the end of those talks, the chairman of the National Security [and Foreign Policy] Committee of the Majlis spoke about an 11-point agreement between Larijani and Solana. Last Bahman [the month that started on 20th January 2007], various news agencies also published the details of a plan called ‘Solana’s Plan’, which allegedly would allow Iran to enrich uranium up to 4 per cent. However, none of the officials of the country confirmed the details of that plan. Now, the next meeting, as confirmed by Solana’s press officer, will be held on 25th April, 15th Ordibehesht, in as yet unspecified place, apart from Tehran or Brussels.

Solana’s plan does not mean accepting a nuclear Iran [subhead]

A member of the Executives [of Construction] Party said: “The Europeans do not wish to lose the initiative regarding Iran’s nuclear issue and allow it to fall in the hands of the Americans. This is why they try every so often to have some contacts with our country, so that they can keep their role alive in the international stage.” Hedayat Aqa’i added: “The European proposal to have more talks with Iran does not mean that they have accepted our nuclear position and wish to talk to us as a nuclear country.” According to Aqa’i, these talks are mainly for propaganda purposes, and they are not likely to produce any particular results.”

This member of the central council of the Executives of Construction Party in an interview with Mehr news agency stressed: “There has been no change in Iran’s nuclear policy. Apparently, there is no prospect that a new step would be taken apart from the principles that have been already approved by the entire system.”

Iran should dispel the doubts of different countries of the world [subhead]

Seyyed Hoseyn Musavi-Tabrizi, the head of the Parties House [Khane-ye Ahzab] said: “From the beginning, the Europeans believed in the benefits of following the course of talks. Therefore, now we should see on what basis and to what end they have put forward the suggestion for new talks.”

The member of the Co-ordination Council of the Reformist Front stressed: “The Iranians must be able to enjoy their right to enrich uranium.” In his interview with Mehr, referring to the peaceful nature of Iran’s aims in gaining access to nuclear technology, Musavi-Tabrizi added: “Iran should be able to dispel the doubts of different countries of the world about her access to nuclear fuel cycle.”

Solana’s proposal for talks is due to the good nuclear news [subhead]

Salman Khodadadi described Solana’s recent proposal for talks with Iran as a purely political move, which follows some propaganda aims. Referring to Solana’s willingness to revive the talks with Iran, Salman Khodadadi pointed out: “The West’s willingness to talk is due to Iran’s good nuclear news and Iran’s progress to the stage of enriching uranium on industrial scale.”

He added: “Iran’s firm stance, and her refusal to retreat from its principled positions regarding the nuclear issue have encouraged Europe to place Iran in a defensive stance by proposing to have talks with her. With this proposal, they wish in some way to overshadow Iran’s firm positions by starting a new round of talks and its marginal issues.”

In his interview with Mehr, referring to Iran’s readiness to take part in any talks, Khodadadi pointed out: “Talking in itself is something positive, and Iran has always welcomed talks. However, the West should know that with the policies that it is pursuing at the moment, she will never reach agreement with Iran.”

(c) 2007 BBC Monitoring Middle East. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.