Brussels, 03/07/2012 (Agence Europe) - The technical discussion resumed in Istanbul on 3 July between Iran and the E3+3 (Germany, France, UK, USA, China and Russia) on its nuclear programme. This meeting, agreed by the high representative of the EU and the Iranian chief negotiator, Said Jalili, aimed to clarify the E3+3 proposal, to increase the Western countries' understanding of Iran's response at the discussions in Moscow and to examine the different questions raised by Tehran during the preceding negotiations. The Istanbul meeting was expected to be followed by an exchange of views between Catherine Ashton's deputy, Helga Schmid, and her Iranian counterpart, Ali Bagheri.
Ahead of this meeting, attended by experts from the two parties, Ashton said that she hoped “Iran will seize the opportunity of this meeting to show a willingness to take concrete steps to urgently meet the concerns of the international community, to build confidence in the peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear programme and to meet its international obligations.”
For its part, Iran accused the Western countries of not making enough effort. The spokesman for the Iranian minister of foreign affairs, Ramin Mehmanparast, said that if the Western countries refuse to recognise Iran's nuclear rights, particularly the enrichment of uranium, and if they refuse to conclude a well-balanced agreement, negotiations will end in stalemate. He added that this refusal adds fuel to the idea that there is perhaps a desire to keep the negotiations going and prevent a successful agreement. (CG/transl.fl)