Iran urges to ditch pressure policy before nuke talks

TEHRAN - The policy of pressure ahead of the nuclear negotiations should be abandoned, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham said Tuesday.

"Unfortunately, we still witness the double approach of pressure-negotiation, and the US congress uses this lever," said Afkham, adding that "The radicals and ill-wishers are active to hinder progress in the nuclear talks."

As for the US congress pushes for new round of sanctions on Iran ahead of the imminent nuclear talks, she said "They want to use sanctions to exert pressure on the talks," but to no avail.

"We can be hopeful and invite them to learn lessons from the past. The policy of pressure-negotiation has not ended in desired results," she added.

Talking to reporters in her weekly press briefing, she said " That they think Iran has come to the negotiation table under the (sanction) pressures is an absolute mistake."

"Under the new administration, we have taken steps to solve unnecessary (nuclear) crisis in a constructive contraction with the world," she said, emphasizing that "Our seriousness should not be interpreted as taking steps under pressure."

The Iranian spokeswoman urged the US officials to stick to the facts and right information about Iran's developments.

Iran and the P5+1 countries, including the United States, China, Russia, France and Britain plus Germany, held a fresh round of talks in Geneva on October 15-16 and agreed to meet again in Geneva on November 7-8.

In the talks, Iran offered its own proposal and after intensive discussions on the proposal, both sides expressed their satisfaction of the first round of talks.

Iran has already expressed readiness for snap visits of the UN inspectors into its nuclear establishments and to reduce the stockpile of its 20 percent enriched uranium, and in return it has urged the powers to recognize its uranium enrichment activities inside the country and lift the sanctions against the Islamic republic.

On Tuesday, Afkham said "The Iranian proposal is totally realistic and serves the interests of both sides and is instrumental to break the deadlock" in the nuclear issue.

"We are optimistic about the next round of the talks," she said, expressing hope that the change of tones in the previous meeting to be put into practice in the upcoming round of talks.

"Everything depends on the next round of talks and on the decision to be made," she added.