Zarif in Munich: Now is the Time for a Final Agreement with Iran

Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran's Foreign Minister, said on Sunday, February 8, that 'now' is the time for a final agreement with Iran regarding its nuclear program, but warned that the condition for this agreement is 'respect for Iran.' The Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic added that 'the current opportunity should not be missed as it will never be repeated.' According to a reporter from Radio Farda sent to Munich, Zarif made this statement on Sunday after meeting with his American counterpart on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference. Zarif also stated, 'I do not think extending negotiations again would benefit anyone, nor do I believe that an extension is necessary or useful.' However, he continued, 'The failure of nuclear negotiations is not the end of the world,' adding, 'Sanctions must be lifted.' Zarif added, 'If the nuclear negotiations fail, the people of Iran will not hold us responsible for this failure, but rather the excessive demands that were made will be held responsible for this failure.' Nevertheless, Zarif said, 'My preference is to talk about successes instead of looking for a culprit.' The Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic stated that 'sanctions have not achieved their goal,' adding, 'Before the sanctions began, we had 200 centrifuges, and now we have 20,000.' Zarif also referred to the remarks of Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, who spoke shortly before his speech in Tehran, stating that both the leader and President Hassan Rouhani's government are 'working for the success of the negotiations.' Zarif also stated that extending negotiations with the P5+1, which includes the U.S., France, Britain, China, Russia, and Germany, 'will not be effective and will yield no results,' adding that the members of this group also 'believe that we should reach an agreement as soon as possible.' Shortly before Zarif's remarks, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei stated that he does not agree with a 'bad agreement' regarding Iran's nuclear program with the world powers but is in favor of 'an agreement that can be achieved.' Khamenei also added, 'Our negotiators are trying to take the weapon of sanctions out of the enemy's hands; if they succeed, that would be better; if they do not, everyone should know that there are many ways in the country that can blunt this weapon.' On Sunday, a Western negotiating official told Radio Farda that 'the timing of future negotiations between Iran and the P5+1 is still unclear.' He also added that there has been 'little progress' in the recent negotiations, but diplomats are still working to advance the goals of these discussions. According to Hana Kavyani, a reporter sent by Radio Farda to Munich, Zarif referred to criticisms from members of the Iranian parliament and stated, 'I will go to the parliament because I believe I must respond to the criticisms.' He also responded to criticisms regarding his walk with his American counterpart, saying, 'I will go to the parliament to tell them that walking in Geneva is a normal practice in diplomatic etiquette.' Zarif recently walked for a few minutes with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry in the streets surrounding the negotiations in Geneva, Switzerland. This action by Iran's Foreign Minister has prompted Friday prayer leaders and several other conservatives to express their positions and criticisms. Among them, 21 members of the Iranian parliament have submitted questions to Zarif, asking him to explain his walk with his American counterpart. 'We are ready to talk with Saudi Arabia' Zarif also stated that 'whether we reach an agreement or fail the negotiations [on the nuclear issue], we are ready to discuss regional problems with all countries, including Saudi Arabia.' 'The case of Jason Rezaian is ongoing' Mohammad Javad Zarif also expressed hope that Jason Rezaian, the American-Iranian journalist for The Washington Post, would be acquitted of his charges. According to a report from Radio Farda, Zarif said that the day Rezaian is acquitted of his charges will be 'a happy day' for him. However, the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) quoted the Foreign Minister as saying, 'We believe Mr. Rezaian has issues and did not visit our country solely as a journalist.' He also stated that the 'legal process' regarding Jason Rezaian's case is ongoing.