ANKARA
An official website representing the views of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has described nuclear talks with the West as “harmful,” according to state news agency IRNA.
The agency carried an analysis of an infographic published by the Center for Preserving and Publishing the Works of Iran's Supreme Leader on Wednesday. The website said the graphic demonstrated the “uselessness and harmfulness” of a year’s talks between Iran and the U.S., France, Britain, China, Russia and Germany, known collectively as the P5+1.
The graphic also described how talks over Iran’s nuclear program have made the U.S. more antagonistic towards Iran and claimed they are aimed at limiting Iranian missile power and curbing its support for groups such as Hezbollah and Hamas.
The views of Khamenei are known to be more strident than other members of the regime. President Hassan Rouhani is more positive about the talks and was instrumental in reviving them.
His opponents, many from the administration of former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, have accused Rouhani of sacrificing national pride and revolutionary identity.
The talks, which began in February and have now been extended to a November 24 deadline, are due to resume in New York on Friday, with preparatory discussions on Thursday.
Iran has been accused of trying to implement a nuclear weapon program but Iran insists uranium enrichment is being carried out for energy and medical reasons.
www.aa.com.tr/en
