Iran urges rationale in P5+1 talks

As Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany (P5+1) prepare to hold multifaceted negotiations in Turkey, a top Iranian official urges logical talks void of pressure.

Iran and the P5+1 representatives held their previous round of multifaceted talks in the Swiss city of Geneva on December 6-7, during which both sides agreed to hold the next round of negotiations in the Turkish city of Istanbul 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.

“Talks for cooperation necessitate avoiding the futile, costly and two-way strategy of pressure-dialogue by certain countries,” Iran’s Deputy Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Ali Baqeri said in a meeting with Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister Zhang Zhijun and Assistant Foreign Minister Wu Hailong in Beijing on Wednesday.

The Iranian official said that talks based on logic and interaction without pressure would prepare the ground for holding constructive negotiations, ISNA reported.

Baqeri pointed out that miscalculations of the West about Iran’s capabilities and approaches are the root cause of failure of certain countries.

“The upcoming talks in Istanbul will present an appropriate opportunity for these countries to end their misguided policies, measures and approaches in the past and take advantage of the chance to break the stalemate they have created,” Baqeri noted.
Zhang, for his part, said China has always attached significance to Iran’s constructive and effective role and stressed that Beijing is determined to expand its relations with Tehran.

Wu also reiterated Iran’s right to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes and emphasized that the Istanbul talks between Iran and the P5+1 representatives should be held on the bases of the Geneva talks, cooperation and issues of common interest.

The Chinese official expressed optimism that all sides would enter talks in goodwill and ready to engage in positive interaction.

During the meeting, the Iranian and Chinese officials also exchanged views on the latest bilateral, regional and international developments.

Iran and the six major powers agreed to resume comprehensive talks in Istanbul on January 21 and 22.

On Tuesday, Iran’s Ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Ali Asghar Soltanieh called on the West to seize the “historic” opportunity of the upcoming talks with Tehran and turn to the negotiating table.

In a politically-motivated move, the US and its allies accused Iran of pursuing a military nuclear program and used the rhetorical claim to pressure the UN Security Council to impose a fourth round of sanctions against Iran’s financial and military sectors in June.

Iranian officials have repeatedly refuted the charges, arguing that as a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and an IAEA member, Tehran has the right to use peaceful nuclear technology.