Brussels, 26/10/2011 (Agence Europe) - Iran has agreed to resume “useful discussions” with the countries of the E3+3 (United Kingdom, France, Germany, United States, Russia and China) on the nuclear issue, with negotiations focusing on “common points”, the spokesperson to the Iranian foreign affairs ministry, Ramine Mehmanparast, stated on Wednesday 26 October, in response to a letter from the high representative late last week. “We feel that the basis for the negotiations to be useful may be cooperation around common points”, Mehmanparast explained. These common points of discussion are the grouping together of the two sides' positions by the Iranian leaders, but these have not been acknowledged by the countries of the E3+3. These countries would prefer to focus the negotiations on Iran's nuclear programme, while Iran is calling for more general issues, such as nuclear disarmament and economic cooperation, to be dealt with as well.
“The principle of starting the negotiations is important and positive” from Iran's point of view, the spokesperson added, going on to say that the willingness of the two parties to cooperate and respect the rights of the nations may help negotiations to achieve good results. On Tuesday 25 October, the deputy foreign affairs minister, Ali Ahani, explained that if the major powers respect Iran's rights, “then the two parties should be able to carry out transparent discussions”. He went on to state that the Iranian negotiator on nuclear issues, Said Jalili, was looking at Europe's most recent message, which has “a more moderate tone than the one before it” and that he would “send the requested response at the right time”. (CG/transl.fl)