Tehran and the six mediators (Russia, China, USA, France, UK and
Germany) will hold talks on Iran's nuclear programme in Istanbul on
January 20, Reuters cites the EU High Representative for Foreign
Affairs and Security Policy, Catherine Ashton.
The talks will last one and a half or two days. The visit to the
Iranian nuclear facilities proposed for January 15 and 16 will not
affect the negotiation process, Ashton said at a meeting with the
Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Janos Martonyi, the country
currently chairing the EU, RIA Novosti reports.
An Iranian official in the IAEA, Ali Asghar Soltaniye, sent a letter
to Russia, China, the EU and a set of other countries, inviting them
to visit its nuclear facilities.
Ashton confirmed that the EU will not accept the invitation, because
nuclear facilities are the responsibility of the IAEA.
The previous round of talks was concluded in Geneva on December 7. The
sides agreed to hold the next talks in Istanbul in late January.
The USA and a set of Western countries suspect Iran of developing
nuclear weapons. Tehran insists that the programme is aimed at
fulfilling demands for electricity.
The UN Security Council passed the fourth resolution against Iran in
June 2010 for refusing to fulfil international demands and clarify
issues on its nuclear programme, including its military aspect.
