Foreign ministry spokesman says Iran’s nuclear program to remain peaceful

Asked about recent comments by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi about the possibility of a change in Iran’s nuclear doctrine, Baqaei told reporters at a press conference in Tehran on Monday, “Iran’s nuclear policy is unchanged and Iran’s nuclear program will remain peaceful”.

The spokesman said what the foreign minister expressed in a recent interview with The Guardian was “a warning against the unconstructive approaches of a number of Western countries.”

He explained that the Western policies have resulted in the formation of a discourse among the public that maybe Iran has not taken the correct course regarding the nuclear issue.

Baqaei added Araqchi was pointing to the creation of such a dialogue among the experts, saying the minister has emphasized that Iran will maintain its peaceful nuclear program on the basis of a religious fatwa and considering the assessments of national security.

The spokesman also lashed out at the US for playing a destructive role and making attempts to disrupt the process of interaction between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

On the recent developments in West Asia, the spokesperson warned that insecurity in Syria won’t remain confined to the Arab country as terrorism will plague the other areas if it is not fought.

Baqaei pointed to the negotiations that Araqchi has been holding during visits to Damascus and Ankara, saying, “We all have come to the conclusion that any sort of insecurity in Syria won’t be limited to Syria alone.”

“We are all aware of the fact that terrorism would not be concentrated in a single place and spreads to other areas,” he warned.

Describing Turkey as an influential actor in the region, Baqaei stated the Syrian foreign minister has made it clear that Turkey has nothing to do with the eruption of the crisis in Syria.

“Our Turkish friends are as much concerned as we are about the course of developments in Syria,” the spokesman added.

He said Turkey is a major neighbor of Iran and Syria that has played a “key role” in the Astana peace process. Baqaei also hailed Turkey for playing a “fruitful and constructive role” in de-escalation of tensions in Syria.

The Iranian spokesman described the Astana format as the “most durable and successful mechanism” for controlling the crisis in Syria, saying the three guarantor states (Iran, Turkey and Russia) have pushed to contain the tensions.

“The Astana process is still alive and the international community is mindful of its influence. We are still committed to that process and believe that the other effective countries hold the same view as well,” he added.

Baqaei further denounced the unlawful presence of the US forces in Syria as an act of violation, saying, “It is clear that one of the reasons for the sedimentation of terrorism in Syria has been the occupation (of Syria) by the American military forces.”