Larijani Reports on Representatives' Proposal to Increase Enrichment Levels

Ali Larijani, the Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, stated that "recently some members of parliament are pursuing a plan that if the West takes new steps regarding sanctions, Iran will continue its nuclear technology at any level of enrichment." According to Fars News Agency, Mr. Larijani, speaking at the "ninth conference of the Society of Teachers and Scholars of Cities" in Qom, warned that "enemies should not think that they can politically deceive us with a merchant-like spirit" during this "sensitive and decisive period" in Iran's nuclear negotiations. The level of uranium enrichment by Iran is a major point of contention between the Islamic Republic and global powers in the nuclear negotiations. The Speaker's remarks regarding the proposal by some representatives for uranium enrichment "at any level" in the event of increased sanctions come as experts indicate that high-level uranium enrichment could lead to the development of nuclear weapons, although the Islamic Republic has emphasized for years that it has no such intention. These comments from Mr. Larijani came just hours after intense discussions between Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran's Foreign Minister, and his American counterpart John Kerry in Geneva, Switzerland, which Abbas Araghchi, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister, described as "completely serious and explicit." Mr. Araghchi reiterated in remarks published by the Iranian Students' News Agency (ISNA) that the work is "very hard and complex," but stated that both sides have the "will" to reach a final agreement on Iran's nuclear program. In the new session of the U.S. Congress, the majority is held by Republican representatives who favor imposing stricter sanctions on Iran. However, the U.S. government has announced that it opposes this congressional decision and will not cooperate with it. Senator Bob Corker, Chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, also stated on Wednesday that both Republican and Democratic representatives in Congress will continue their efforts to pass a proposal aimed at imposing more sanctions against Iran. Larijani also emphasized in Qom that in America, "due to political rivalries and various motivations, sometimes for price gouging, statements against the negotiations are made, but we must follow a clear path." In this context, President Obama’s emphasis on striving for a "comprehensive agreement" with Iran was highlighted, while Zarif described his meeting with John Kerry in Geneva as "important."