Rouhani warns not every nuke deal will be accepted

Iranian President Hasan Rouhani made clear Wednesday that although he hopes to reach a “logical” agreement with western powers, Tehran would not accept a nuclear deal that undermines his nation’s “inalienable rights” of technological progress.

A day after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned the US Congress of “a very bad” nuclear deal taking shape with Iran, Rouhani dismissed the Israeli leader’s remarks, claiming the world is pleased with the progress of the negotiations.

“The results of this progress and agreement benefit the region and the world, as well as the development, trade, economy, culture and settlement of the problems and threats created by extremism in the region and the world,” Rouhani was quoted as saying by Iranian Fars News Agency in a cabinet meeting Wednesday.

Though, he made clear Iran would only agree to a deal with the 5+1 nations (US, Russia, China, Britain and France plus Germany) that would allow it to continue developing technologically.

“If these negotiations are meant to deprive the Iranian nation of its inalienable right of progress in science and technology, Iran will naturally not accept such an understanding and agreement.”

Rouhani claimed the western nations currently face two options: either reach an agreement with Tehran “within the frameworks of logic and international law,” or continue with their sanctions, and see the acceleration of Iran’s “peaceful nuclear program.”

On Tuesday, Netanyahu told assembled represenatitves and senators in Washington, DC that the emerging agreement would leave Tehran with “a vast nuclear infrastructure” that placed it dangerously close to the ability to break out to a nuclear bomb. “It will not prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons. It will all but guarantee that Iran will get nuclear weapons and a lot of them.”

The prime minister spoke shortly after Secretary of US State John Kerry met for more than two hours in Switzerland with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in the hopes of completing an international framework agreement later this month to curb Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.

Rouhani downplayed the influence of Netanyahu’s speech on the negotiations, claiming the world distrusts Israel and its leader.

“People in the world, as well as the Americans, are much more perceptive than to trust the words of advice from a regime that has a long reputation for causing conflict and crisis,” Rouhani said.

“The very same regime that has sought nuclear weapons contrary to international law and away from international observers, which has produced atomic bombs and by refusing to sign the NPT [Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons Treaty] will not allow the International Atomic Energy Agency to visit its nuclear facilities.”

Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.