News - Middle East: Iran’s top security official has accused Western powers of making “excessive demands” and obstructing nuclear negotiations, blaming them for the current deadlock over the UN “snapback” mechanism.

Ali Larijani said on Tuesday that Tehran has exhausted all possible diplomatic avenues to prevent the activation of the so-called snapback mechanism, but Western states responded with excessive demands and obstruction of the progress.

The head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council was speaking at a meeting with members of Iran’s Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture in Tehran.

He said France had sent a message through the IAEA that it would withdraw its snapback request if Iran reached special arrangements with the Agency.

“That agreement was signed by our foreign minister in Egypt,” Larijani said, referring to a deal between Iran and the agency allowing the resumption of IAEA inspections of Iranian nuclear sites under certain conditions. “Nevertheless, they did not honor their promise.”

Larijani said Iran accepted both a European and a Russian proposal allowing six months for talks, but the West again reneged and pursued snapback at the UN Security Council.

He highlighted two sticking points, firstly, a US demand to reduce Iran’s missile range below 500km, which he described as an insult no Iranian could accept.

“First, in the Americans’ initial proposal, there was a condition that no person with dignity could accept, reducing the missile range to less than 500 kilometers! Could such a thing ever be acceptable to an Iranian? This is precisely the problem: they put forward demands that are utterly unacceptable.”

Second, he argued that under the JCPOA, Iran had the right to respond when others violated commitments.

"First, the United States withdrew from the agreement, then the Europeans failed to comply, and later they even carried out bombings. So, who should be the one to protest?”

Larijani accused Western states of abusing legal texts for political ends.

“The problem lies in their misuse of contractual texts. Iran has never avoided negotiations to resolve issues; even in the midst of talks, we were bombed. They chant slogans of negotiation, but in practice they pursue other objectives,” he said.

He said Iran would accept any “reasonable and fair proposal” that guarantees its interests. Larijani, however, vowed to defend national security and sovereignty.

“We will stand firm, just as we stood firm on the issue of missile range,” he said.

Source: Press TV