Iran

Iran, G5+1 End 2nd Round of Istanbul Talks

Iran and the Group 5+1 (the five permanent UN Security Council members plus Germany) ended a second round of talks in Istanbul, Turkey, Saturday evening.

The two sides first had a meeting at Istanbul’s Lutfil Kirdar Hall from 11:00am to 13:30pm local time.

Following the first round, representatives of all the six world powers, including the US top envoy, requested to hold separate bilateral meetings with the Iranian team of negotiators, and Iran’s chief negotiator and Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Secretary Saeed Jalili, who leads the Iranian side, had some meetings with some of them, including head of the Russian delegation Sergey Ryabkov and EU foreign policy Chief Catherine Ashton who presides over the delegations of the six world power.

But, the Iranian team rejected the US request for a bilateral meeting.

At the first round of talks, the Iranian team of negotiators called on the western parties to take proper measures to build Iran’s confidence.

Ashton’s Spokesman Michael Mann described the first round of talks between the two sides as “positive” and “constructive”.

“(Iran’s chief negotiator Saeed) Jalili and Ashton are hopeful about the continuation of the talks,” Mann told reporters after the end of the first round of talks in Istanbul earlier today.

Asked if the two sides have agreed to continue the talks in Baghdad, the EU spokesman said, “Holding the second phase of the talks in Baghdad depends on the result of today’s negotiations.”

After a year of stalled talks, Iran and the Group 5+1 (the five permanent UN Security Council members plus Germany) eventually accepted last month to resume their negotiations in Istanbul, Turkey, on April 14 and in case of good progress hold a second round of talks in Iraq’s capital city, Baghdad.

Mann said nothing is yet for sure, but given the positive atmosphere reigning the meeting, tendency for the success of the talks is remarkable.

Asked if either side has brought up any new proposal in the first round of talks today, Mann said he is not allowed to reveal the details of the talks.

Iran’s second top negotiator Ali Baqeri informed last night that the talks between Tehran and the six world powers in Istanbul would only last for one day.

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