TEHRAN – In a joint session of parliament and administration late on Sunday, President Hassan Rouhani said only a concept of win-win game will lead to a final result in nuclear talks.

During the session the president also said that he assumed the power at a “very sensitive situation” but his administration succeeded, through cooperation by Majlis, people and also guidelines by the Supreme Leader, to resolve many problems over the past 20 months.

The president said the year 1393 (the last Iranian calendar year which ended on March 20) was difficult in terms of budget constraints because it started with an oil price at 100 dollars per barrel but it was reduced to 50 dollars.

This year from the beginning the government has started with oil prices of 50 dollars per barrel and it is not clear what will happen in the oil market by the end of the year.

He also said if the nuclear negotiations proceed based on the framework agreement and the other side does not make “exorbitant” demands its effect on the economy will not be so noticeable in the short term.

He attributed some of the economic problems to “unfair” sanctions on the country and said, “Though we have passed (economic) recession we need to attract foreign and domestic investment to recover the economy.”

He added, “We should also focus on transfer of technology (into the country) and concentrate on non-oil exports.”

------‘Oil dependent Iranian economy facing structural problems’-------

The president went on to say that in addition to the shadow of sanctions on the economy there are other problems. For example, he said, whenever oil prices rose imports started increasing and in times like today when oil prices fell the country faced more problems.

“On the other hand there are major problems in the country’s administrative and economic system, which are not resolvable in the short term.”

The economy is dependent on oil and if this problem is not resolved “we will not be able to counter economic problems.”

He added over the past 20 months his government has succeeded to reduce inflation rate to a great extent.

He said one of the major aims of his government is to reduce inflation rate to single digit. However, he added, from now on the pace of reducing inflation will slow down.

The president said, “The government needs Majlis help to get out of the current (economic) situation.”

-----------‘We cannot create a good world and then interact with it’

On April 2 Iran and the major powers (the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany) agreed on a framework nuclear deal in Lausanne which is considered a preliminary step to iron out details for a final nuclear accord by June 30.

Pointing to the framework nuclear agreement, he said this view that the U.S. and the European Union are great powers and they can do whatever they can is a wrong assumption because their “credibility will be at risk if they renege on their commitments.”

Rouhani, a former chief nuclear negotiator from 2003-2005, said he does not deny the impact of the Western propaganda campaign on the public but “we should not underestimate our power”.

He added, “Our diplomats, law experts and politicians are experienced and it is not so that the other side can dominate us. The other side knows very well that this nation and government do not surrender.”

The president, a trained lawyer, said, “We cannot create a good world and then interact with it. However, we should be vigilant and through consultation and amity seek to protect the interests of the country.”

----Nuclear talks are complicated and difficult-------

He called nuclear talks very complicated and difficult and said he is closely monitoring the negotiations.

“What I told the negotiators and people from the first day it was that we should think of a win-win game because if efforts are made for a win-lose game it will not reach a result.”

The president said that the three branches of government along with the Supreme National Security Council hold regular meetings for advancing nuclear talks.

“I also sincerely thank the Supreme Leader because every time and any time that we wanted he spared not effort to give his guidelines.”

Pointing to the Lausanne statement, he said Iran and the 5+1 group have agreed on solutions but “we have a very difficult road ahead to reach a final result” and his government will seek the views of the Supreme Leader, Majlis and advisors in negotiations.