West must step up plans for Iran talks

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast has renewed Tehran’s call for a response from the West regarding the clarification of any upcoming multifaceted talks with the P5+1.

“Iran and the P5+1 have expressed readiness on the resumption of talks only, but the details are yet to be clarified,” Mehmanparast said at his weekly press conference on Tuesday.

The Iranian spokesperson also called on the opposite side to step up “interaction” in the comprehensive talks.

He said that the timing, venue and content of the multifaceted talks with the group of six world powers –US, UK, Russia, France and China plus Germany — should be clarified with “content” as the top priority.

“The details pertaining to the content of negotiations are the main issues and we think both sides should continue their interactions to reach an agreement on it,” IRIB quoted Mehmanparast as saying.

In response to EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton’s call for the resumption of talks, Iran’s Supreme National Security Council said in a recent letter that it welcomed P5+1’s willingness to resume the comprehensive talks.

Regarding nuclear talks with the West, the spokesman added that Iran was ready to talk with the Vienna Group — the US, Russia, France and the IAEA — on providing fuel for Tehran’s research reactor.

According to Mehmanparast, the basis of talks with the Vienna Group was the May 17 fuel swap declaration.

Iran, Turkey, and Brazil signed the declaration in Tehran, under which Tehran expresses readiness to exchange 1,200 kg of its low-enriched uranium on Turkish soil with 20 percent-enriched nuclear fuel.