Nuclear negotiations between Iran and the world powers will continue until “a positive and constructive outcome” is achieved, Ayatollah Khamenei’s senior aide said on Friday.
ISNA reports that Ali Akbar Velayati, the Iranian leader’s chief adviser on international affairs, said on the sidelines of a government meeting: “Today, the position of the Islamic Republic is principled and logical and, in the meeting of experts, this position was clearly expressed. The Islamic Republic must retain the right to exploit nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, and this right should be acknowledged by the negotiators of the G5+1 group.”
Iran has met several times with the world powers to negotiate over its nuclear program. Western countries are concerned that Iran might use its nuclear program to develop nuclear weapons, but Iran has continuously insisted that its nuclear program is peaceful.
The latest meeting between the negotiating parties took place last week last week in Istanbul between Ali Bagheri, the deputy to Saeed Jalili, Iran’s Secretary of the Supreme Council of National Security, and Helga Schmid, the deputy to Catherine Ashton, the head of EU foreign affairs and the G5+1 representative.
Ali Bagheri reported that at the close of those talks, it was agreed to pursue the talks at higher levels.
“We have coordinated a framework to continue talks and reached an agreement to continue cooperation and negotiations,” Bagheri told reported.
No specific date has been set for the next meeting between the Iranian delegation and the G5+1 representatives.
Ashton’s spokesperson announced that the next step is a meeting between Ashton and Saeed Jalili.
