Iran to resume P5+1 talks Jan. 21

Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast says Tehran and representatives of the P5+1 have agreed to resume comprehensive talks in Turkey on January 21 and 22.

“Both sides have reached consensus on January 21 and 22,” Mehmanparast said at his weekly press conference on Tuesday.

He said during the upcoming talks in the Turkish city of Istanbul, Tehran and the P5+1, which include the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany, will focus on finding common grounds for further cooperation.

Iran and the P5+1 wrapped up two days of multifaceted talks in the Swiss city of Geneva on December 7, during which both sides agreed to hold the next round of negotiations in Turkey in late January.

The comprehensive talks were held between Iran’s Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council Saeed Jalili and EU Foreign Policy chief Catherine Ashton, who represents the P5+1.

During the press briefing, Mehmanparast also rejected any link between Tehran-P5+1 talks and Iran’s recent invitation to some countries’ representatives to visit its nuclear sites.

He said that any positive measure by Iran over its peaceful nuclear activities was independent of the upcoming talks in Turkey.

The spokesman added that the invitation was a “positive, confidence-building” measure, calling on Western countries to seize the opportunity for further cooperation.

Iran’s invitation to allow the inspection of its nuclear facilities indicates Iran’s “transparency” on its nuclear activities, Mehmanparast emphasized.

The Iranian spokesperson said that details of the visit will soon be released.

Mehmanparast said that representatives from the EU, Non-Aligned Movement, Arab League, Group of 77 and the Organization of Islamic Conference have been invited to tour Iran’s nuclear sites. He said that Iran has also invited Ashton’s representative in the International Atomic Energy Agency.