Story highlights Iranian President says a nuclear deal would remove a major obstacle for business "We can cooperate with the world," President Hassan Rouhani insists He says, "We do not lie," and Iran will abide by its promises on nuclear deal
"Some think that we should either fight ... or we should surrender to other powers," President Hassan Rouhani said. "However, we believe none of that. There is a third path. We can cooperate with the world."
Rouhani said his government kept its word to Iranians when negotiating the framework deal, which was agreed upon Thursday and sets parameters for talks that could lead to a comprehensive deal by a June 30 deadline. Chief among them is that Iran would keep at least some centrifuges and no longer face international sanctions.
He thanked Iranians for their patience and for "resisting" by standing up for the country's rights.
As to the rest of the world, the Iranian President said he thinks most now realize that Iran "is pursuing peaceful objectives." That means trying to develop nuclear energy, not nuclear weapons, as many feared. That fear, combined with distrust of Iran's leaders, spurred the sanctions and the Middle Eastern nation's isolation.
"We do not lie," Rouhani said, vowing that Iran will be true to its word, "provided the other parties will implement their own promises."
What Iranians think of the deal
Those promises include reducing Iran's stockpile of low-enriched uranium by 98% for 15 years and significantly scaling back its number of installed centrifuges. Still, while it will be shrunken and centralized, Iran's nuclear program won't go away.
What should happen -- assuming there's a common view that Tehran is doing as required -- is that countries will end their sanctions. That was non-negotiable for Iran, with Rouhani saying the deal shows his government's commitment to removing a major "obstacle ... for business" by addressing the world's worries about its nuclear program.
"We need economic productivity, employment for the youth and development of non-oil products," he said. "Thus our people can witness better things for their welfare."
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