In order to resume nuclear talks between P5+1 and Iran, parties must abolish obstacles as soon as possible, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu said while Iran signaled time to resume negotiations but objected to the Western powers’ conditions, Hurriyet Daily News reported.
“It’s time to resume the process, if the other side will act honestly,” Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said Jan 19. However, Western powers should enter talks without conditions, otherwise “it is a sign that they do not approve of the negotiations,” he said, referring to expectation for a reply on the written proposals of P5+1, which the West conditioned to embark on negotiations.
“Saeed Jalili [Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator] will convey to [Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet] Davutoğlu our proposal for venues and dates in order to deliver to [EU Foreign Policy Chief Catherine] Ashton,” he said.
“The date, venue [of talks] and response to the letter [of Ashton] are different issues. Date, venue, other issues and the steps that must be taken ahead of the negotiations are being discussed,” Davutoğlu said in a joint press conference with his Iranian counterpart.
“What’s important is to resume talks as soon as possible and calm down tensions,” Davutoğlu said, adding that all sides were willing to resume negotiations.
As Salehi said on Jan 18 that Iran was in touch with world powers to reopen talks, Washington and the EU quickly denied this, saying they were still waiting for Iran to show it wanted serious negotiations.
A spokesperson for Ashton said on the same say, “There are no negotiations underway on new talks. We are still waiting for Iran to respond to the substantive proposals the high representative [Ashton] made in her letter from October [2011].”
