Iran’s Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani
Iran’s Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani has welcomed Turkey’s offer to host Tehran’s upcoming comprehensive talks with the permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany.
In an interview with Iran’s Arabic-language news channel Al-Alam on Monday, Larijani clarified that Tehran sees no hurdles in holding multifaceted discussions with the P5+1 group of nations – Britain, China, France, Russia, and the United States plus Germany – in Turkey.
Turkey’s Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu confirmed on January 8 that Iran and the P5+1 have agreed in principle to hold talks in Turkey.
The last round of comprehensive talks between Iran and the P5+1 was held in Turkey’s port city of Istanbul in January 2011.
Referring to the beginning of uranium enrichment in Fordo facility, Larijani said the fuel produced in the Iranian facility is used in the Tehran research reactor since the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) shirked its responsibility to do so.
The IAEA confirmed on January 8 that “Iran has started the production of uranium enriched up to 20%” at its Fordo facility near the holy city of Qom.
Senior American officials and the Israeli regime have repeatedly threatened Tehran with the “option” of a military strike against the Islamic Republic over its nuclear program.
Despite the widely publicized claims by the US, Israel and some of their European allies that Iran’s nuclear program may include a military diversion, Iran steadfastly insists on the civilian nature of its nuclear program, arguing that as a signatory to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and a member of the IAEA, it has the right to develop and acquire nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.
MYA/MB/HJL
via PressTV – Iran welcomes P5+1 talks in Turkey.