Commenting on his last week's phone conversation with US President Barack Obama on Wednesday, Rouhani said he told his American counterpart that there has been a “very dark atmosphere” between the two countries over the past 35 years.
The Iranian president further emphasized that both sides agreed that the problems could not be solved very quickly.
“Our discussion was mainly focused on the nuclear issue and I stressed that the nuclear issue should be resolved within a short time span, he [Obama] also confirmed,” said the Iranian president.
In the first direct communication between an Iranian and a US president since Iran’s Islamic Revolution of 1979, Rouhani received a call from Obama on September 27 shortly before leaving New York, where he attended the 68th session of UN General Assembly.
The Iranian president further stated some steps are needed to be taken in order to lift the illegal sanctions imposed against the Islamic Republic, adding that the first measure was taken in the meeting between Iran and the six world powers in New York.
On September 26, Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif and the foreign ministers of France, Russia, China, and Germany as well as the US secretary of state and the UK foreign secretary discussed Iran’s nuclear energy program on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
“Almost all the six countries attending the meeting acknowledged Iran’s nuclear rights in a way,” said the Iranian president.
He also assured the Iranian nation that the country’s right to peaceful nuclear technology and its right to enrich uranium inside the country are “not negotiable.”
“We have nothing to hide regarding the nuclear issue...above all of this, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution [Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei] has said we are not after nuclear weapons,” Rouhani noted.
The US, Israel and some of their allies have accused the Islamic Republic of following non-civilian objectives in its nuclear energy program.
However, Iran has categorically rejected the allegation, stressing that as a committed member of the International Atomic Energy Agency and a signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty it is entitled to develop nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.
HH/HH