Iran Says Nuclear Talks Set for April 13

Posted March 28th, 2012 at 4:55 am (UTC-5)
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Iran's foreign minister says he expects a new round of talks with world powers on the country's nuclear program to begin April 13, but that a venue has not been set.

Ali Akbar Salehi told state media Wednesday that a site will be set in the next few days for the meeting with the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council – the United States, China, Russia, Britain and France – plus Germany.

The foreign minister's comments came as he welcomed Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Tehran for meetings with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and other officials to discuss nuclear issues.

A spokesman for European Union policy chief Catherine Ashton says there is no agreement on a time or place for new negotiations.

Iran wants to meet with the group of six world powers next month in the Turkish city Istanbul, where the previous round of talks broke down in January 2011.

The group, known as the P5+1, reaffirmed its support for a diplomatic solution to the Iranian nuclear issue earlier this month. But in a statement, the group also voiced “regret” about Iran's escalating campaign to enrich uranium and urged Tehran to open its Parchin military site to International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors.

Iran denies allegations it is attempting to develop atomic weapons and says its nuclear activities are purely for power generation and medical research purposes.