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Iran's offer on table at 5+1 talks, UK confirms

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

London, Nov 9, IRNA -- The 5+1 is seeking to make “serious progress” at the forthcoming talks with Iran leading to transformed relations and enhanced cooperation in nuclear, technological, economic and other fields, the British Foreign Office has said.

“We have made clear that we are willing to discuss a range of issues tabled by Iran,” Foreign Office spokesman Barry Marston confirmed.

“It is critical that substantive discussion of Iran’s nuclear programme be at the heart of these negotiations,” Marston also told IRNA when asked about the agenda.

The talks with Britain, China, France, Russia, the US and Germany, will be the first in over a year and are being arranged through the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Baroness Catherine Ashton amid reports that they may be held in Turkey.

Iran has said that instead of focusing on its legitimate right to pursue peaceful nuclear projects, the talks should include global issues such as the commitment by the world powers to disarm under the Non-Proliferation treaty (NPT) and Israel's illegal nuclear arsenal.

“The ultimate aim of talks is to conclude a deal from which we all benefit; Britain and other E3+3 (5+1) members are looking for an agreement which would address international concerns about the nature of Iran’s nuclear programme,” Marston said.

“The Iranian people would stand to gain on numerous fronts, including the easing of sanctions, greatly improved relations with Europe, the West and Iran’s neighbours, which would open the doors for economic expansion, jobs, sharing of technology,” he said.

It would be “a confident, secure and internationally respected Iranian nation, empowered to play a more constructive role on the international stage.”

In May, Iran reached a uranium fuel agreement with Turkey and Brazil, similar to last October’s offer of a fuel swap pact brokered through the Vienna Group, but which was greeted with scepticism in the West.

Marston said that there was “no proposal for expanding or rethinking the E3+3 framework” to include Turkey or Brazil, but that they were in regular contact with Turkey, which has a “significant role to play.”

He made no direct mention of the previous controversial demand for Iran to suspend its civilian uranium enrichment program, which is in contradiction to its right under the NPT, but remained adamant that “the primary issue must remain Iran’s cooperation with the IAEA.”

Iran’s enrichment of uranium is “in contradiction of numerous UNSC resolutions,” he insisted without specifying that the issue had been caused by the Security Council taking away the case on a split vote from the 151-member IAEA which was set up as an autonomous agency.