Iranian presidential candidate Ali Akbar Velayati addresses a group of his supporters in the city of Isfahan on June 8, 2013.
Presidential candidate Ali Akbar Velayati says he will resist US greed and pressure and defend Iranâ„¢s nuclear rights if he wins the June vote.
Å“We will resist US greed…. The Americans [must] withdraw from their position and recognize Iranâ„¢s absolute right to [peaceful use of] nuclear energy,” the principlist candidate said in the city of Isfahan on Saturday.
Velayati, a senior advisor to Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei on international affairs, added that Iran should wisely resist bullying to defend its nuclear energy program and must also defend the influence and might of Iran through resistance and foresight.
He emphasized that Iranâ„¢s foreign policy should be able to solve peopleâ„¢s problems and prevent the imposition of further sanctions.
The United States, Israel, and some of their allies have repeatedly accused Iran of pursuing non-civilian objectives in its nuclear energy program with the US and European Union (EU) using the allegation as excuse to impose illegal unilateral sanctions on the Islamic Republic.
Iran rejects the allegation, arguing that as a committed signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty and a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), it has the right to use nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.
Velayati, a former foreign minister, further noted that as maintained by Ayatollah Khamenei, Iran seeks to expand ties with all countries except those pursuing domineering policies.
The candidate pledged to tackle inflation, high prices and unemployment and settle the economic problems within the first 100 days of his tenure.
Iranians will go to the polls in the countryâ„¢s 11th presidential election on June 14.
Nearly 50.5 million Iranians are eligible to vote in the upcoming presidential election, with more than 1.6 million first-time voters.
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This article originally appeared on: Press TV