Salehi: Iran's nuclear stance is firm
IRNA -- IR Iran's Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said that Iran's approach in Group 5+1 talks is firm and serious and Iran ushered in talks in Istanbul and Baghdad with good intention.
Foreign Minister Salehi made the remarks in an exclusive interview with IRNA's correspondent in New Delhi on Friday.
He expressed hope that the parties to the talks will also adopt a positive approach in the upcoming negotiations.
'The talks are on the right path, but the pace of negotiations may only become slow or fast. However, we have a lot of hope in the success of the talks,' added Salehi.
The foreign minister noted that it goes without saying that the talks are not easy and the parties of the talks should act and behave in a manner as to help the talks bear results in the near future.
'During my visit to New Delhi, the Indian government welcomed Iran's positive stance towards talks with Group 5+1 while expressing optimism that the talks will proceed well. We announced that our goal and the standpoints announced by the other side are based on the importance of non-proliferation treaty (NPT),' Salehi added.
He pointed out that all Iran's efforts are that NPT would succeed in preventing non-peaceful nuclear activities in the world because we consider this to be in line with national interests of IR Iran and we emphasize on it.
'Political stances of India are quite fair and impartial. This shows the importance of India in international arena. India as world's biggest democracy has always been regarded as key player since the onset of its independence from the colonial rule,' added Salehi.
Iran and the Group 5+1 (Britain, China, France, Russia, and the United States plus Germany) wrapped up their meeting in Baghdad on May 24 after two-day talks .
The Iranian negotiating delegation was headed by the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, Saeed Jalili, and the delegations of Group 5+1 were headed by EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton.
IR Iran and Group 5+1 agreed to hold another round of talks in Moscow on June 18-19.
Prior to their talks in Baghdad, Tehran and the Group 5+1 also held three rounds of talks, one in Geneva in December 2010, and two others in Istanbul in January 2011 and in April 2012.