Iranian President says Foreign Ministry will take charge of nuke talksSeptember 5, 2013 - 21:19 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Iranian President Hassan Rouhani says the foreign ministry will take charge of nuclear negotiations with the West. The move will give him more direct control over the talks, which have until now been conducted by the Supreme National Security Council, BBC News reported. The council is appointed by and answerable to the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei. Since 2007, Iran's delegation at nuclear negotiations has been led by Saeed Jalili, who was seen as highly loyal to Khamenei. Jalili also stood as a presidential candidate at this year's election, on a platform perceived as espousing an aggressive policy abroad and limited political openness at home. The move makes it likely that Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif will take over responsibility for talks. Zarif has experience living in and negotiating with the West, having previously been Iran's envoy to the UN, and is viewed as a political moderate. Last week, a report from the UN's nuclear agency said Iran had further boosted its capacity for uranium enrichment. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said Tehran has now installed more than 1,000 advanced centrifuges at its Natanz enrichment plant. The IAEA says it will resume talks with Iran on 27 September - the first such negotiations since Rouhani was elected. In June, IAEA director general Yukiya Amano complained of a lack of progress during 10 rounds of negotiations between Iran and the so-called P5+1 - the US, UK, France, Russia, China plus Germany - despite intensified discussions. The country has been the target of four rounds of UN sanctions and numerous UN Security Council resolutions calling on it to cease enrichment work amid fears it aims to develop nuclear weapons. Iran has refused to obey, saying it intends to enrich only for power station fuel or other peaceful purposes. According to Reuters, Western diplomats stressed that concrete progress is needed soon in the dispute and the next round of talks will be scrutinized for any sign that the new Iranian government will be more transparent and less confrontational as Rouhani has pledged. "We expect and hope to see more than words" from Iran,” a senior diplomat said. Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Titus, Bilirakis lead legislation to sanction Azerbaijani war criminals Representatives Dina Titus (D-NV) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) have introduced the bipartisan legislation. Armenia: Defense Ministry warns against involving army in political processes The Ministry’s statement came after a video surfaced online, showing soldiers joining the protests in Tavush. Scholz hopes Armenia-Azerbaijan peace treaty will be signed this year German Chancellor Olaf Scholz hopes that a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan will be signed this year. Ucom equips four bus stops in Ijevan with free Wi-Fi Ucom now provides free Wi-Fi coverage in smart bus stops in four communities of Ijevan. |