Iran is always open to talks

The secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council says Tehran is always ready for talks with the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany.

Saeed Jalili made the remarks in an exclusive interview with the Press TV correspondent in Istanbul late on Saturday.

“We are ready for more talks. We have always urged the other side to return to the talks,” he said. “We think the time is always right for talks and cooperation, in light of our pure logic and good potential as well as our proposals.”

Iran and the P5+1 group — the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany — wrapped up their second round of comprehensive talks in the Turkish city of Istanbul on Saturday.

Jalili said that Iran entered the talks with the P5+1 group with a positive view and is ready for more negotiations based on common ground, provided that its rights are not violated.

At a press conference earlier in the day, EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton claimed that the P5+1 had hoped to have a “detailed and constructive” negotiation and accused the Iranian side of seeking to set “preconditions on talks relating to enrichment and sanctions.”

Jalili stated that Iran had discussed certain necessities that need to precede any meaningful talks, such as strengthening the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and nuclear disarmament.

He went on to say that imposing sanctions on Iran is an ineffective weapon that will not hinder the country’s progress.

Asked about his refusal to meet with the US envoy on the sidelines of the Istanbul talks, Jalili said there has been a wall of mistrust between Iran and the United States for the past thirty years.