Turkey says nuclear talks between Iran and the G5+1 countries can take place in April.
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu told the TRT Turkish television network on Tuesday February 28 that if Iran and the G5+1 are inclined to hold nuclear talks, Ankara is prepared to host them in April.
He added that he will be discussing the issue with Ali Akbar Salehi, Iran’s Foreign Minister, in the next few days.
Salehi has already announced that Iran is interested in holding the talks in Turkey.
Turkey hosted that last two rounds of negotiations between Iran and the G5+1; however, the talks reached an impasse, with EU foreign policy head Catherine Ashton describing Iran’s input as “disappointing.”
The EU and the United States have since imposed widespread sanctions against Iran, which include sanctions against Iran’s Central Bank and an oil embargo that will take full effect in July 2012.
Iran has refused to stop its uranium enrichment, insisting that its nuclear activities are peaceful and it needs enriched uranium to fuel its reactors.
Saeed Jalili, Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator, has responded to a letter from Ashton by announcing Iran’s readiness to resume talks “on a range of various issues that could pave the way to constructive cooperation in the future.”
Both Ashton and U.S. Foreign Secretary Hillary Clinton have expressed optimism about Iran’s new efforts to resume nuclear negotiations.
