Iran prefers Iraq as venue for talks with P5+1
Iran has reportedly asked Iraq to serve as the venue for the new round of nuclear energy talks between Tehran and the P5+1 -- the US, the UK, France, Russia, China, and Germany --, Press TV reports.
Diplomatic sources speaking on condition of anonymity told Press TV that Tehran's decision relates to Turkey's recent stance on Syria.
Meanwhile, Iraq's Foreign Ministry has confirmed that Tehran wants Baghdad to host the meeting.
The ministry said in a statement posted on its website that Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari has received an Iranian delegation on Tuesday evening.
"The (Iraqi) Foreign Minister welcomed the Iranian proposal and expressed Iraq's readiness to host the meeting, asserting that he will conduct the necessary contacts with the relevant parties about the proposal," the statement added.
On March 31, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said that the P5+1 and Iran have agreed on meeting in Turkey's Istanbul on April 13-14. But European Union diplomats have said the venue is still under discussion.
Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi stressed on Wednesday that "this issue has to be agreed on by both sides," explaining that "Baghdad and also China were proposed" as venues.
On February 27, European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said EU members are considering resuming nuclear talks with Tehran after receiving the latest letter from Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator, Saeed Jalili.
Jalili’s letter was sent on February 15, saying that Iran is ready to restart negotiations over its nuclear energy program with the P5+1.
Praising Ashton’s remarks about the P5+1 respect for Tehran’s right to use peaceful nuclear energy, Jalili added that the success of the talks depends on the constructive approach of world powers towards Iranian initiatives.
Iran and the P5+1 have already held two rounds of multifaceted talks in Geneva in December 2010 and in the Turkish city of Istanbul in January 2011.
While Tehran says it is ready to continue the talks based on common grounds, it has stressed that it will not give up any of its rights.