Outgoing Iran Prexy Says Chances Of Nuke Deal With U.S. 'Wasted'

Iran's chances of reaching a new nuclear deal with the United States were wasted, according to outgoing Iranian President Hassan Rowhani, Farshid Motahari reported for Deutsche Presse-Agentur (dpa).

"I very much regret that obstacles were placed in the government's path and thus the chance of an early agreement in the nuclear negotiations was squandered," Rowhani said on Wednesday.

Rowhani blamed hardliners in the country, who not only oppose the 2015 Iran nuclear deal but are also against making a new agreement in negotiations currently being held in Vienna.

Rowhani also vehemently rejected the hardliners' criticisms that the Iran nuclear deal had weakened Iran's nuclear program.

According to Rowhani, the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran has shown it can bring uranium enrichment levels from below 4 percent to between 20 and 60 percent in a very short period of time.

"If needed, and within the framework of our peaceful nuclear projects, we could even raise the level to 90 percent," he said, according to the presidential website. More urgent at the moment, he said, is an agreement in the current Vienna negotiations that would revive the Iran nuclear deal.

"We were denied that chance, but we hope that the next government will seize the opportunity to reach an agreement in the national interest," Rowhani said.

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