Positive signals out of Iran’s parliament at final hours of nuclear talks

The speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly says that Iran’s negotiating team is moving forward, hoping nuclear talks with P5+1 can produce a good result.

Ali Larijani made the comment Sunday (July 12) on the ongoing talks in Vienna 24 hours to go before the Monday deadline. The Iranian Students’ News Agency (ISNA) filed a report on the chamber’s reaction to and predictions about what is going to happen in Vienna at the home stretch of nuclear talks.

The following is the translation of the top MP’s remarks followed by comments by two other deputies:

Speaker Larijani

I have a positive view of the talks. Members of the country’s nuclear team are walking down a clear, well-defined and well-thought-out path.

I hope the other side too can act wisely and seize this opportunity. They should not think that the final moments are the best to put new ideas on the table and ratchet up the pressure.

Mounting pressure may backfire. Such tactics [piling pressures] are used for not-complicated talks, but when it comes to complicated and lengthy talks, everything should be thoroughly thought through in advance.

The nuclear talks are moving forward, there are some challenges though. As things stand, they can produce a deal.

Javad Heravi, MP

Today the Islamic Republic of Iran is an island of stability in the Middle East. I would like to say ‘More power to your elbow’ to Dr. Zarif, who is the chivalrous knight of Iran’s foreign policy, and to all his hardworking colleagues.

Iran bears no resemblance to nuclear countries such as North Korea and has proved to be a stable place in the region.

Western powers need to know that they have been put to a global test in nuclear talks and that what they do in the talks – including posturing and ramping up the war of words – is not logical.

Ahmad Shohani, MP

I hope nuclear talks can lead to a definite result. If the talks possibly fail to produce a deal, the [world] public opinion will blame P5+1 for such a breakdown.

Iran hopes to clinch a deal the two sides can agree on, but if the talks end inconclusively there is no doubt that the other side will be to blame because of the new demands P5+1 have raised under pressure from the Zionist regime and Saudi Arabia. […]

Everybody is praising the way the Iranian team has stuck to its stance at this stage of the talks, even those who had previously expressed concerns or made critical comments about the country’s negotiators and their performance.

Irrespective of the final result, the talks have been to the benefit of Iran. We still hope that positive results will come out of these negotiations. […]