The US president Barack Obama has claimed that Tehran statement is not sufficient for what he referred to as removing concern over Iran’s nuclear issue. In a phone conversation with the Turkish Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday, Obama added that the US will continue its efforts to intensify sanctions against Iran.

Islamic Republic of Iran in a tripartite meeting in Tehran on Monday with Turkey and Brazil announced, within a statement, its agreement with the exchange of part of low-enriched uranium with the nuclear fuel needed by Tehran research reactor. Within the framework of this statement, Tehran will deliver 1,200 kilograms of 3.5% enriched uranium to Turkey, in return for receipt of 120 kilograms of 20% enriched fuel.

Tehran statement was widely welcomed which goes to show that this statement is a positive development that can soon be put into practice. But, the US is hell-bent on sabotaging this interaction through imposition of fresh sanctions against Iran.

Tehran statement is based on two important principles. Firstly, it emphasizes on Iran’s legal rights which are rooted in the contents of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. The Iranian nation and MPs’ demand is to maintain Iran’s legal and legitimate rights and the Iranian government will not retreat an iota from fulfillment of the inalienable rights of the Iranian nation.

The second principle in Tehran statement is attention to the logical views and proposals of other countries. Hence, Tehran statement can be assessed as another step in line with mutual confidence-building measures. Therefore, the other step for materialization of Tehran statement is for Vienna Group to prove its resolve and pragmatism.

Tehran statement, which has been signed by Iran, Turkey, and Brazil has a clear logic within the framework of the topic of fuel swap, and it obviously is not linked to Iran’s peaceful and legal nuclear activities, which the US has used as a pretext for presentation of another anti-Iran resolution. Hence, one should say US insistence in this regard is due to reasons other than the alleged concern over uranium enrichment in Iran. One of these other reasons is the US opposition to Iran’s scientific growth and development. Furthermore, the US also refrains from fulfilling its commitments which were made after the US joined the process of Geneva negotiations, within the framework of the agreement of Iran, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and Vienna Group. In fact, with implementation of Tehran statement, the US and other parties to Vienna Group will no longer have a pretext to justify their opposition to fulfillment of their commitments to IAEA for provision of the fuel needed by Tehran research reactor.