Representatives of Iran and the six major powers are to meet in Istanbul today to discuss joint solutions in the new round of negotiations about Iran’s nuclear program.
AFP reports that the meeting will take place at 10:30 AM between Helga Schmid, deputy head of EU foreign affairs, and Ali Bagheri, the deputy to Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator, in a closed-door session at a secret location.
“The goal is to bring the positions of Iran and the G5+1 closer together,” Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast told a press conference in Tehran. “We must wait for the outcome of the meeting.”
The world powers want Iran to halt its nuclear enrichment program, but Iran insists that its only goal is to provide fuel for its nuclear reactors to generate power.
Schmid and Bagheri have reportedly been in regular contact as efforts persist to find a solution to the nuclear disputes.
Three recent rounds of talks produced no breakthroughs. Iran wants international sanctions against it to be dropped and official recognition of its right to the peaceful exploitation of nuclear power.
There has been no concrete evidence that Iran is building nuclear weapons, but an ability to enrich uranium to the 90-percent level could indicate a capacity to build nuclear bombs.
