Rowhani not ‘optimistic’ about Iran nuclear talks

Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani is not “optimistic” about ongoing nuclear negotiations with the P5+1 countries, the official IRNA news agency reported Monday.

“The government is not optimistic about the Westerners and the current negotiations,” Rowhani was quoted as by the state news agency according to Agence France-Presse.

“But it does not mean that we should not have hope for removing the problems,” he said referring to international sanctions hurting Iran’s ailing economy.

A new round of talks between Iranian negotiators and representatives from the P5+1 group of world powers is due to take place in Geneva for November 7 and 8.

The talks are aimed at reducing Iran’s nuclear activities in exchange for a relief from international sanctions.
The Iranian president’s comments come a day after Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei expressed his support for Iran’s nuclear talks but also said he was not optimistic.

“No one should see our negotiating team as compromisers,”Khamenei was quoted as saying on his official website, AFP reported.

“I am not optimistic about the (nuclear) negotiations but, with the grace of God, we will not suffer losses either,” he added.
The West and Israel suspect Iran’s nuclear is aimed at gaining atomic weapons.

(With AFP)