Rouhani: Nation Proud of "Valiant Diplomats"

President Hassan Rouhani said on Saturday the country is honored to have such "brave diplomats" in nuclear talks with the major powers.  

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the 7th Farabi International Festival in Tehran, the president said the nation backs the veteran diplomats engaged in the negotiations with representatives of the P5+1 (the five permanent UN Security Council members and Germany) who are defending their rights, adding, "We are proud of having such brave diplomats," IRNA reported.

The chief executive referred to the ongoing talks between Iran and the six major powers over the dispute on Tehran's nuclear program and said, "We enjoy the advantage of having very experienced diplomats today and …our negotiating team stands up to the six major powers, says its word and speaks on legal, political and technical bases."

Rouhani said the diplomats are regarded as honors of the country, while some people may be critical of them on trivial issues.

He praised the negotiating team for their round-the-clock and tireless efforts in the talks.

The president censured those people who insult under the guise of criticism and undermine national interests for their partisan interests and said, "The factions and the like are considered subsidiary to national interests."

Elsewhere, Rouhani said, "On science and university sector, the current administration has made some promises to academics and students and it remains firmly committed to its pledges."

The Farabi International Festival, which reviews researches on the humanities and Islamic sciences, is organized annually by the ministry of science, research and technology.

More than 2,000 papers have been submitted to the secretariat of the festival, of which 30 works were awarded in ten fields.

The event was named after Farabi, an Iranian polymath and one of the greatest scientists and philosophers in the Muslim world in his time.