Iran says enrichment not up for debate at talks

ISTANBUL — Suspending uranium enrichment is not up for discussion at talks between Iran and six world powers that started in Istanbul Friday, a senior Iranian official said.

By (AFP)

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Published: Fri 21 Jan 2011, 5:58 PM

Last updated: Tue 7 Apr 2015, 9:05 AM

“We will absolutely not allow the talks to go into the issue of our basic rights like the issue of suspending enrichment,” Abolfazl Zohrevand, an aide to Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili, told reporters.

Earlier Friday, an Iranian delegation led by Jalili met with counterparts from the so-called P5+1 group of world powers, led by EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, for two-day talks in Istanbul over Tehran’s controversial nuclear programme.

Zohrevand however said that the meeting had kicked off in a “positive” atmosphere.

“We will focus on cooperation... The talks have been positive because both sides have come to take positive steps,” he said, without elaborating.

The official spoke in the yard of an Istanbul mosque where the Iranians went for Friday prayers during a break in the talks.


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