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US has recognized Iran's right to ‘robust’ nuclear program: Analyst

Iran has the right to develop a “robust” nuclear energy program despite opposition from Republicans in the US and Israel.

The United States has recognized that Iran has the right to develop a “robust” nuclear program despite opposition from Congress, which is trying to sabotage a nuclear agreement with Tehran, a peace activist and analyst in Washington says.

“The Obama administration and the other major powers recognize in an affirmative way that Iran has the legal right…to develop a civilian nuclear energy program, even a robust one,” said Brian Becker, the national coordinator for the ANSWER Coalition, a US-based protest umbrella group consisting of many antiwar and civil rights organizations.

“The intervention by the US Congress into the Iran-US nuclear talks was an effort on the part of the Republican leadership…to sabotage the agreement,” Becker told Press TV on Saturday.

“We can see over the past month that they have been busy trying to do just that, to destroy any possible US agreement or P5+1 agreement with Iran,” he added.

Iran and P5+1 group of countries - the US, Britain, France, China, Russia and Germany - reached a mutual understanding on Tehran’s nuclear program on April 2 in Switzerland. The two sides are expected to start drafting a final deal which they seek to sign by the end of June.

Right-wing elements in the Republican Party along with Israel and some of their allies accuse Iran of pursuing military objectives in its civilian nuclear program.

Iran rejects the allegation, arguing that as a committed signatory to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), it has the right to use nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.

President Barack Obama told a White House news conference on Friday that legislation drafted by Senators Bob Corker and Ben Cardin is a “reasonable compromise” that would not impede negotiators from reaching a final deal with Iran.

According to the legislation, Obama should submit the final nuclear deal for congressional review and he would not be allowed to lift sanctions, levied by Congress against Iran, during the review period.

“I would not say at this point that this new development with the passage of the so-called Corker bill means the end to a possible agreement,” Brian Becker said.

“The real issue as to whether there will be an agreement between the United States and Iran is whether President Obama and his negotiators adhere to the affirmative obligation to lift all of the economic sanctions on Iran in exchange for a new inspections regime,” he noted.

AHT/HRJ


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