Iranian President says time to resolving nuke dispute limited

Iranian President says time to resolving nuke dispute limited

PanARMENIAN.Net - Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said in a live interview on state television on Tuesday, Sept 10, that the time for resolving Iran's nuclear dispute with the West was limited, and urged the world community to seize the opportunity of his election, Reuters reported.

"The world must know completely that this period of time for resolving the nuclear issue will not be unlimited. We have a specified period of time," said Rouhani, a centrist cleric who took office last month. "The world must also use this period of time and this opportunity that our people created in this election. We will also use this opportunity. God willing, I am hopeful we can, step by step, solve this problem."

Rouhani, who succeeded Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, a conservative known for his bellicose rhetoric on the international stage, has pledged moderation in Iran's foreign and domestic policies and called for "constructive interaction" with the world.

Iran has been engaged in negotiations with six world powers that have so far failed to bring about a settlement.

Western countries in particular are concerned about Iran's uranium enrichment program and fear it may be developing a capacity to build nuclear weapons. Iran says its program is purely peaceful and designed to meet its energy needs.

Rouhani said on Tuesday he would meet with the foreign ministers from some of the six powers - the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany - when he attends the UN General Assembly in New York this month.

"In the nuclear issue the end of the game must be a win-win game. Win-lose has no meaning," Rouhani said. "We can have a win-win game, we are ready for a win-win game. I think the beginning of this work will start in New York."

Earlier this month, Rouhani said 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 been conducted by the Supreme National Security Council so far.

Meanwhile, 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 said it will resume talks with Iran on September 27- the first such negotiations since Rouhani was elected.

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.

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