Iran refuses discussing nuclear rights during second round of talks with G5+1 group

[News_Editor]

Iran refuses discussing nuclear rights during second round of talks with G5+1 group

2011-01-22 06:14:07 GMT+7 (ICT)

ISTANBUL, TURKEY (BNO NEWS) -- Iran on Friday met with the G5+1 group in Istanbul to resume nuclear talks but refused engaged in discussion over its nuclear rights, the Fars news agency reported.

"We will not allow any talks on the halt or suspension of uranium enrichment activities in Iran to be raised in the Istanbul talks," Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Undersecretary for Media Affairs Abolfazl Zohrehvand said.

Iran and the five permanent UN Security Council members (the United States, Russia, China, Britain and France) plus Germany) held their first meeting on Friday. This was the continuation of the previous round of talks held in Geneva last year.

Last December, Iranian officials met with the G5+1 group in Geneva, Switzerland, amidst international skepticism as it was believed that the meetings would not last a single day. Iran also refused to discuss nuclear rights and uranium enrichment that time.

The two sides previously agreed on an agenda at the end of their last month meetings in Geneva. The Istanbul meeting will focus on cooperation talks as well as finding common grounds for such potential cooperation.

Friday's morning session was reportedly held under a positive atmosphere. Iran presented its operational paradigms and patterns for nuclear cooperation. The old issues raised in the Geneva talks were not discussed again.

The second meeting will be held on Friday evening and further talks will take place on Saturday. The G5+1 group is seeking an agreement with Iran over a framework for determining steps and moves that should be taken by each side.

Zohrehvand said that Iran has no problem on reaching an agreement on a common framework as long as it does not impair its nuclear rights. The Islamic country claims that its nuclear program is a civilian path to provide power to Iran's growing population.

This week, Russia and Iran agreed to continue nuclear talks as well as energy cooperation. The two countries will also cooperate on improving the Bushehr power plant which was constructed by Russia, the first nuclear plant in Iran.

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