Iran and the IAEA to hold a new round of talks over Iran’s nuclear programme on May 21 in Vienna; Former Iranian Intelligence Minister Hassan Rohani announced to contest the upcoming presidential elections with support from Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani
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    • According to reports, Iran and officials from the United Nations nuclear watchdog will hold a new round of talks over Iran’s disputed nuclear programme on May 21 in Vienna. It would be the 10th round of negotiations between the two sides since early 2012, so far without a deal that would enable the UN watchdog to resume its long-stalled investigation of Iran’s nuclear facilities. The IAEA wants inspectors to restart a long-stalled investigation into suspected atomic bomb research by the Islamic Republic. Iran denies Western allegations that it is seeking to develop the capability to build nuclear weapons, saying its atomic activities are aimed at generating electricity. The last round of IAEA-Iran negotiations, in February, yielded no breakthrough. 1

    In another development, according to reports, former intelligence minister Ali Younesi said on April 26 that Hassan Rohani has entered the presidential competition with a full support from Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani and somehow shows that Rafsanjani himself will not be a candidate in the June presidential election. Rohani, the former secretary of the Supreme National Security Council who led Iran’s nuclear negotiations with the European Union trio of Britain, France, and Germany during President Mohammad Khatami’s administration currently chairs the Expediency Council Strategic Research Center. Earlier, to set the stage for his presidential campaign Rohani announced that he will soon publish an “economic blueprint”. He said that creating “sustainable employment” is at the top of his agenda. Rohani also said he would not submit to world powers but will “interact” with them if elected president in the elections. 2

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