Iran waiting for 5+1 to suggest date, venue for talks: Iranian FM spokesman

TEHRAN, Jan. 4(MNA) – Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ramin Mehmanparast said on Tuesday that Iran is waiting for the 5+1 group (the United States, Britain, France, Russia, China, and Germany) to suggest a date and venue for a new round of talks. “At present, we are waiting for Ms. (Catherine) Ashton (the EU foreign policy chief) to announce her suggested date and venue for the continuation of talks with Iran,” Mehmanparast told a regular press briefing. “After receiving the letter of Ms. Ashton, Mr. (Saeed) Jalili (the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council) will announce his views,” and an agreement would be reached, Mehmanparast stated. Iranian Ambassador to Germany Alireza Sheikh-Attar said on Saturday that the next round of talks will be held after Jalili sends a letter to Ashton. “Negotiations are underway in this regard, and correspondence has been exchanged, and another correspondence will be conducted on our part, and after that, a meeting will be arranged,” Ambassador Sheikh-Attar said at the time. In addition, EU foreign policy spokesman Michael Mann said on Saturday that the European Union is open to meaningful talks with Tehran, provided there are no preconditions on the Iranian side. Mann added that Ashton wrote to Jalili in October but has not yet received a response. However, Mehmanparast, during his press briefing, said that a reply has been sent to Ashton’s letter. Mann again emphasized on Tuesday that talks with Iran over its nuclear program depend on Tehran responding to a letter sent in October by Ashton. He stated that the EU is “willing to discuss” Iran’s nuclear program with Tehran, but Ashton must first receive a satisfactory response to a letter she sent in October to Jalili. “Firstly, Iran has to respond to Mrs. Ashton’s letter and our reaction will depend on the content of their response,” he said.