Iran says nuclear talks with P5+1 group to go on

The head of Iran's Majlis (parliament) National Security and Foreign Policy Commission said Sunday that the talks between Iran and world powers will continue, semi-official Fars news agency reported.

Boroujerdi said that the talks with the P5+1 group, namely the five permanent UN Security Council members plus Germany, should encompass Iran's considerations.

There is no way possible to achieve a favorable result in the talks with the P5+1 group other than lifting the unfair and illegal sanctions imposed on Iran by the West.

Uranium enrichment will never be ceased in Iran as Non- Proliferation Treaty (NPT) endorses the right of all members to uranium enrichment, he said, adding that Iran is the one to decide to what degree it does the enrichment activities.

The two-day nuclear talks between Iran and the P5+1 group in Almaty of Kazakhstan concluded on Saturday with both sides saying that the gap of views over the key points could not be bridged.

While Iranian officials stressed that any mechanism to settle Iran's nuclear issue in the talks should take into consideration the recognition of Iran's right to uranium enrichment activities, the revised proposal by the world powers asked Iran to suspend its uranium enrichment and shut down its underground Fordow enrichment facilities in return for limited sanction relief.

On Sunday, a senior Iranian official renewed the call on world powers to recognize Iran's "right" of uranium enrichment, Fars reported.

"The P5+1 group has to accept Iran's indispensable right to the use of nuclear technology for peaceful purposes," Iran's Supreme Leader's Advisor for International Affairs, Ali-Akbar Velayati, said, underlining Tehran's commitment to the nuclear Non- Proliferation Treaty.

"What is emphasized by us is the right of enrichment for peaceful means which is not against international regulations," said Velayati, a presidential hopeful for the June election.

In the meantime, Iranian lawmaker Mohammad Firouzi said Sunday that Western sanctions and pressures could not force Tehran to give up its nuclear rights.

"The Western countries believe that acceptance of their demands (by Iran) means progress in the Iran-P5+1 negotiations, but Iran will not relinquish its rightful nuclear demands under the West's pressures," the lawmaker was quoted as saying.

However, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Sunday urged Iran to take simple steps in order to prove its intention on nuclear program is peaceful while stressing the process of talks could not continue for ever.

Kerry made the remarks in Istanbul, Turkey, which is the first leg of his third visit to the Middle East in one month.