Iran, P5+1 may resume talks on 20-percent uranium enrichment

Azerbaijan, Baku, May.25/ Trend F.Karimov/ Iran and the P5+1 group may continue talks on the issue of 20-percent uranium enrichment in the future meetings, ISNA quoted Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Abbas Araqchi as saying. Referring to recent comments of Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov that Iran will study halting enrichment of 20-percent uranium, Araqchi said that the issue of 20-percent enrichment is not a new topic between the two sides. So, they may hold similar talks in the future. On June 18, Lavrov said that Iran has confirmed it is prepared to halt its enrichment of 20-percent uranium. He urged Western nations to reciprocate by lifting sanctions. "For the first time in many years, there are encouraging signs in the process of settlement of the situation with the Iranian nuclear program. It would be a shame not to take advantage of this opportunity," Lavrov explained. The West suspects Tehran's nuclear program may be aimed at developing nuclear weapons capability, but Iran insists it is purely for peaceful purposes. The most recent round of high-level talks between Iran and the P5+1 group, which failed to produce a breakthrough, was held in Almaty on April 5 and 6. They had held similar negotiations in the same city on February 26 and 27. If Tehran agreed to these steps, the major powers said they would suspend some sanctions against Iran, including trade in gold and petrochemicals, and would not impose new sanctions through the United Nations Security Council and the European Union. The main oil and financial sanctions would not be loosened. Iran's main demand is that its right to uranium enrichment, as stipulated in the NPT, be recognized. Do you have any feedback? Contact our journalist at agency@trend.az