TEHRAN, Dec 29 (KUNA) -- In response to the joint statement of the United States and three European countries regarding Iran's program, Spokesman of the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Nasser Kanani reiterated that Iran's nuclear program has always been and will be peaceful. "It is very ridiculous that the countries that are responsible for the current situation regarding Iran's nuclear program, with the heart of reality, seek to change the culprit and the victim," he said in a press release on Friday. It is better for these countries to review their performance in negotiations to lift sanctions in the past two years and observe the results of their non-constructive policies, Kanani noted. Enrichment at a purity level of 60 percent in Iran's nuclear facilities has always been in accordance with the peaceful needs of the country and fully under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency, he pointed out. "Iran is aware of all its international rights and obligations and will continue its cooperation with the Agency in this context," Kanani stressed. Withdrawing from the nuclear talks and raising irrelevant issues, the result of which is the current stalemate, disqualified the United States and three European countries from making a claim regarding Iran's nuclear program. Experience has shown that unilaterally presenting demands and demands and lack of will to correct the wrong steps of Western countries cannot help. As in the past, the Islamic Republic of Iran considers negotiation and diplomacy to be the best way to resolve fake concerns about its peaceful nuclear program, he went on.
Now the ball is in the court of America and three European countries; they should take the necessary political decisions by abandoning fruitless pressures, the spokesman added. Yesterday, the United States, the United Kingdom, France and Germany responded angrily to a report by the IAEA that Iran stepped up uranium enrichment to a 60-percent purity grade.
A joint statement by the four allies condemned the action, saying it "adds to the unabated escalation of Iran's nuclear program," according to the statement." (end) mw.gb