President Hasan Rohani said on Sunday Iran will not abandon its nuclear rights, including uranium enrichment, media reported a day after a fresh round of talks with world powers.| Remember, he's the "moderate" according to the NYT... |
"The rights of the Iranian nation and our national interests are a red line. So are nuclear rights under the framework of international regulations, which include enrichment on Iranian soil," he said.
His remarks came a day after intensive negotiations with world powers -- despite making progress -- failed to produce a long-elusive deal that would curb Iran's nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief.
Rohani pleaded for parliament's backing.
"If we want to succeed in these negotiations, we need the support of the supreme leader (Ayatollah Ali Khamenei) and of lawmakers," he told them.
| "We can still sucker the United States. Youse guys have to stay quiet a little while longer!" he told them softly after the press left... |
Hardliners in Iran
| ...which includes all the Mad Mullahs™ without exception... |
Rohani said Iran would "not bow to threats from any power", while also insisting that sanctions battering Iran's ailing economy had not forced it to the negotiating table.
"We have practically and verbally told the negotiating sides that threats, sanctions, humiliation and discrimination will never produce a result," he said.