WEEKLY PRESS BRIEFING BY HAMID-REZA ASEFI
FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN

IRANIAN MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

January 8, 2006

Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hamid-Reza Asefi here Sunday said the trend of Tehran-Moscow talks on Iran`s nuclear activities was positive.

He made the remark while talking to domestic and foreign reporters during his weekly press conference. `In this round of talks, which started on Saturday and will be continued today (Sunday), different plans are raised. But the main point is to accept Iran`s rights and respect them. `However, we should wait and make a precise evaluation after the talks ended,` he said.

Asked about Iran`s consultations with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), he said, `We are always in close contact with the agency. We hold negotiations with the IAEA at different levels. Our activities are under the agency`s supervision. `The IAEA Chief Mohamed ElBaradei briefed us on the agency`s stance on Thursday therefore no meeting was held,` he added.

Urging the agency not to get involved in political issues, Asefi said the agency should do professional work.
Referring to a statement issued by the European Union Saturday evening, he said, `We believe the language of threat should be avoided`. He added that everything should be based on mutual respect.

In response to several questions on nuclear research, he said, `This is not a new issue. Nuclear research is under the IAEA supervision and is among rights of Iran and other signatories of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). `Nuclear research has nothing to do with nuclear production. Research is common in other countries and should not be dealt with selectively. `The West should not seek double standard towards research.

Research plays an effective role in promoting science and sustainable development and no country should be deprived of it,` Asefi said. Negotiations did not include research, he said adding, `Any measure taken voluntarily in the past, had no legal obligation.'

Asefi further reiterated that research was among Iran`s rights. As to rumors on cancellation of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad`s visit to Turkey, he said no exact date had been set for the visit.

On telephone conversation between Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki and his Turkish counterpart on Saturday evening, he said, `The Turkish officials believe in expansion of ties with Tehran.