Tehran, Iran, July 7
By Mehdi Sepahvand - Trend:
An Iranian international relations analyst says the Islamic Republic of Iran attaches more significance to the removal of sanctions on the country's economy and oil sector than other areas such as arms deals.
What is important to Iran is the sanctions that have been put on its oil industry and the Central Bank of Iran, Hassan Beheshtipour told Trend July 7.
Iran is pushing for a United Nations arms embargo to be completely lifted as part of the international community's moves to improve relations with Tehran in the wake of an emerging nuclear agreement, the Wall Street Journal quoted a senior Iranian diplomat July 6.
The diplomat said his government wasn't specifically linking the lifting of a UN ban on arms sales to a nuclear accord. But he said the US and European Union no longer could justify placing curbs on Iran 's military and ballistic-missile programs.
However, he noted too, the Islamic Republic is looking for the removal of entire sanctions rather than stressing any in particular, and that will include arms embargo.
Sanctions so far imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council, EU, and US have addressed economy, banking, oil, arms trade, nuclear equipment and proliferation.
Beheshtipour stated that the issue of arms embargo is of minor significance to Iran because the country is pretty much self-dependent in meeting its defense requirements.
Iran frequently introduces new defense systems it has developed itself. Under international pressure, the Islamic Republic has tapped domestic talents in boosting its defense system since the war with Iraq in the 1980 ended.
Tehran stresses that its military might is solely defensive.
Iran and the group P5+1 (the US, UK, France, Russia, China, and Germany) are in talks in Vienna to reach a comprehensive deal in a couple of days on the country's nuclear program which would remove sanctions on the country.
Edited by CN
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