Iran to quit nuclear talks if pressures mount: negotiator

TEHRAN - Iran will quit nuclear talks if the other party aimed to impose their wills on Tehran in the ongoing negotiations, the country's senior negotiator told state IRIB TV on Monday.

"If the other party wants to impose their wills at the cost of diplomatic means, we will not hesitate to leave the negotiating table," Abbas Araqchi said.

The talks should meet the interests of both Iran and the world powers, Araqchi said.

Political pressures and the media hype have not forced Iran to change its position and give up its demands, he said.

It is not something new that they have used media and political space to influence the negotiating table, the Iranian negotiator said, referring to remarks Saturday by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, who said that Washington was ready to walk away from the talks if Tehran did not agree to the terms proving that it does not want atomic arms.

"We have already experienced this kind of rhetoric from the Americans, and it is regretful that they are repeating the same tone, as they know that it is a failed method," Araqchi was quoted as saying.

Gaps remain in their positions, but all the sides are trying to narrow them down to settle the issues, he said.

"We are determined to continue the talks with strong will unless we feel that the talks are not progressing in the interests of our country and our nation," he said.

Representatives from P5+1 group, namely the U.S., Britain, France, Russia, China and Germany, and Iran met in Geneva on Sunday night for fresh talks over Tehran's disputed nuclear program, a move to continue the diplomatic efforts toward reaching a long-term, comprehensive solution to the issue.

It has been over a year since Iran and the world powers agreed to come back to the negotiating table in 2013. However, wide differences have prevented the sides from reaching a final deal.

The negotiators agreed in November 2014 to extend the deadline for another seven months, aiming to reach a political framework deal by the end of March.