Iran, P5+1 hold new round of talks in Almaty

Iran and the P5+1 group of world powers have ended the first day of the comprehensive talks in the Kazakh city of Almaty with the main focus being on Iran’s nuclear energy program.

The two-day talks began in Almaty on Friday.

The Iranian delegation is headed by Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Saeed Jalili while the EU foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton, represents the P5+1 group — Britain, China, France, Russia, the US and Germany.

On Thursday, deputy to Iran’s chief negotiator Ali Baqeri said that the Islamic Republic would enter the new round of talks with the P5+1 group with clear, groundbreaking proposals.

Earlier in the day, Iran’s chief negotiator urged the world powers to recognize Tehran’s right to enrich uranium under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

Iran and the P5+1 have already held several rounds of talks the last round of which took place in Almaty on February 26-27.

Iran argues that as a signatory to the NPT and a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency, it is entitled to develop and acquire nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.