Addressing a meeting with the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) political directors, Araqchi said since Fordo is 70 meters under the mountain rocks, the western states have failed to destory it through a successful military raid.
He then quoted Zarif as telling the European members of the Group 5+1 (the five permanent UN Security Council members plus Germany) that "you intend to close Fordo (through talks) because you cannot hit it to then move to hit Natanz (enrichment facilities) which is 20 meters under the ground".
Zarif stood firm against the Europeans and told them if Iran closes Fordo, then they would move to the next stage of their plan to hit Natanz which is easier for a military strike as it is closer to the surface, "and I have not come here to place my country on the verge of (going under) a military attack".
Stressing that Iran doesn’t accept bullying words in the talks with the world powers, he said, "Iran has and will not suspend enrichment; actually the secret to the Islamic Republic of Iran's power is in its saying "no" to the six world powers."
"In the Geneva agreement, Iran resisted in a way that Fordo will continue its work and the West couldn’t oppose it and the westerners have accepted in the Geneva agreement that enrichment will continue, Arak (heavy water) reactor will work with a combined formula and Fordo facilities will remain in place," Araqchi stressed.
Araqchi was referring to the latest round of the talks between Iran and the six world powers in Vienna from May 14 to 16 aimed at drafting a final, comprehensive deal with the world powers.
On November 24, Iran and the world powers sealed a six-month Joint Plan of Action to lay the groundwork for the full resolution of the West’s decade-old dispute with Iran over its nuclear energy program. In exchange for Tehran’s confidence-building bid to limit certain aspects of its nuclear activities, the Sextet of world powers agreed to lift some of the existing sanctions against Tehran and continue talks with the country to settle all problems between the two sides.
According to the deal which went into effect on January 20, Iran stopped 20 percent enrichment at its Fordo facility, but it has insisted that it would keep it open to continue enrichment at purity levels lower than 5 percent as agreed in the Geneva interim deal.
FNA